Love that Lasts Forever
by eveningstar1996
Summary: When Princess Rose Mazur meets Prince Dimitri Belikov at her family's masquerade ball, they instantly fall in love with each other. But like the Capulets and Montagues in Romeo and Juliet, their families hate each other. Will Rose and Dimitri's love have a happy ending and overcome their family's hate, or will they end up like Romeo and Juliet?
1. Strangers at a Masquerade Ball

**Disclaimer**: I don't own Vampire Academy.

* * *

Ch. 1 Strangers at a Masquerade Ball

I sighed and regarded myself in the mirror. How was I supposed to look beautiful for the masquerade ball if I didn't even know how to do my own hair?

"Lissa!" I yelled.

A heartbeat passed, and my best friend flounced into the room. "Rose, you can't go around screaming for me, even if you are the Mazur princess."

My family, the Mazurs, had originated from Turkey, but then, somewhere along the line, we'd moved to Russia. We were a Moroi royal clan – even though my mother was a dhampir, so I was also a dhampir. Of course, there was a little problem with us...

Lissa, my best friend, was a Moroi, and she was a Dragomir princess. Or, I should say, _the_ Dragomir princess, since she was the only one left in her line. My father allowed her to live with us after her parents and brother had been killed in a horrible accident a few years ago.

"The masquerade's a few hours away," I grumbled, running a hand over my long dark hair. "And my maid isn't anywhere to be seen."

"Your father doesn't want you to be spoiled remember?" Liss asked, picking up a hairbrush and running it through my long dark hair. "Besides, if it is few hours away, you have plenty of time to get ready."

I smiled to myself, but then my happy thoughts went away as I recalled the reason for the ball. "And my father wants to name me as his successor…and announce my betrothal to Adrian Ivashkov."

"He is not exactly…a one woman man, if you know what I mean," Lissa said dryly. "All the rumors I've heard say that he loves women and drinking."

"Why can't my parents just let me marry for love?" I asked, feeling more melancholy than ever. "Look at them. _They_ married for love! Most girls my age would be married off by now. I can't believe my father is making me marry now, after my eighteenth birthday. If they let me wed later, why can't they at least give me a choice?"

"So you can unite with a powerful Moroi family, and so you will have support against the Belikov family," Lissa said.

"I already pointed out to my father he married for love," I muttered, feeling angry. "And yet, he's insistent that I marry that Ivashkov lord, but our babies won't even be Moroi."

"He might not exactly be faithful…but he is pretty good-looking," Lissa offered as she rose and went to my wardrobe.

I perked up at this, and turned around. "Really? Have you met him before?"

Lissa nodded as she ran her hand over some of the beautiful gowns I had in my wardrobe. "Yes. At some of the royal banquets Queen Tatiana holds. He's tall, with dark brown hair and emerald green eyes."

I sighed. "That doesn't sound like my type at all. And all Moroi men are tall."

Lissa also sighed. "That's because you've never been in love, Rose. He's pretty good-looking, and I don't plan on getting married yet."

Since Lissa was the last in the Dragomir line, everyone was interested in who she would marry. The Dragomirs had once been a very powerful and prestigious family. She had more suitors than me. All of my suitors…I did not love any of them. I had wanted to wait and fall in love before I got married, but now I never would.

"But you're getting pressure from the other royal families," I pointed out as I stood and joined her. "They want you to marry, and you can only marry a Moroi who has enough Dragomir blood. No hope for you marrying a dhampir man."

Lissa shrugged. "They can pressure all they want, but in the end, _I_ will choose. Being the last Dragomir isn't completely bad."

_If only I could have that type of freedom_, I thought bitterly, and slammed my hand against the wardrobe door.

"Let's find a gown that you can wear to impress all the young men at the ball tonight," Lissa said, seeming to sense my dark feelings. "You will make them all fawn over you and wish that you would be their betrothed."

"There's no point, when I'm being married in…I don't know how long, but soon," I complained.

"Yes, but maybe you can flirt with one or two of the young men like you usually do at these balls," Lissa said with a wink.

* * *

Dimitri POV

I walked down the streets of Moscow alone, the images of what had happened moments before dancing behind my eyes

_Flashback_

"_We can't be together, Dimka," she whispered into my ear. _

"_But I like you, Natasha-"_

"_That's not enough," she interrupted, pulling away from me. "You need to love me enough to marry me."_

"_My mother would never let me! You know that I have to-"_

"_I'm from the Ozera family! Why can't you marry me? My family's every bit as powerful as yours, if not more powerful. Why?"_

Because of what happened with your nephew's parents years ago_, I thought but didn't say. I attempted reason._

"_But I don't need to marry right away. Maybe if I could just keep it like this a while longer-"_

"_I've been waiting for the past seven years, Dimka! My relatives are all pressing for me to marry," she whispered, her blue eyes filling with tears. "I've waited for you for far too long. I can't wait any longer. I'm so tired of us being together only when we have time for secret meetings. And we can't go any further than what we already have done. Unless you swear that you will marry me soon, I can't do this anymore."_

"_Tasha-"_

"_I'm sorry. I can't see you anymore."_

_With that, she turned her back on me and walked away…out of my life._

_End of flashback_

I clenched my fists, although I kept my face perfectly neutral as I headed towards home. How could she think I didn't like her? Of course, she had always been pressing me to marry her from the start of our relationship. I could not marry her.

I liked her very much. She was beautiful, intelligent, strong, but I didn't feel like I'd loved her. A secret part of me was actually glad that we'd ended the relationship. Because when I was with her…I just didn't feel like I loved her. As a friend, yes. But as for more than…no.

My mother had been pressing me to marry. Preferably an important Moroi princess, even if we would never have Moroi children. Tasha wasn't a princess…although she was "Lady Ozera." Technically speaking, there couldn't be more than one prince or princess in a royal family, but there were many that were still addressed as such.

I sighed as I entered the manor where I lived with my mother and sisters.

"Dimka, are you home?" I heard my mother call out.

"Yes, Mama," I replied as she stepped into the grand foyer. Time and responsibility had aged her, but she still looked very dignified.

She sighed. "My advisors have told me that the Mazur family is holding a masquerade ball, and they want you to infiltrate it."

I stared. "Infiltrate the Mazur manor? They all know how I look like. And why do they want me to spy on them?"

"I don't know, but Prince Mazur would never hold a ball of this type unless there was a good reason. I'm not very comfortable with the idea of letting you go off into the home of our enemy…"

"I will do what's necessary," I said stiffly. "Who gave the idea?"

Mama looked over her should uneasily before she turned around. "Your uncle Ivan."

I let out a slight hiss of annoyance before schooling my features into an expression of indifference. Of course. Only my uncle would suggest something so sneaky.

My uncle Ivan was my father's younger brother. After my father died when I was twelve, my uncle had stepped in to assist my mother, the Belikov dowager princess. I didn't trust his intentions from the start. If he married my mother, he would become prince and thus have a chance to become king when Queen Tatiana named her successor. For now, he was just Lord Belikov. Although my mother had not had a happy marriage with my father, she still did not want to remarry.

"I will attend, if that is what Lord Ivan would like," I said.

Mama smiled wanly at me. "It's a masquerade, so it will be hard to check your identities. Find out why the Mazurs are hosting a masquerade ball, and then report back in the morning. But Dimka, please be careful,"

I brushed my hand against her cheek. "Of course I'll be careful, Mama."

"Good. Then… I suppose you should get ready in your bedchamber. Take a different route when you enter and leave the Mazur manor."

"Of course," I said, and bowed.

* * *

Rose POV

"And now I present to you my daughter, Lady Rosemarie Mazur."

I descended the stairs down into the grand ballroom, keeping my face blank of emotion. I wasn't sure if I was actually succeeding, but the mask did make it harder to tell if I had any expressions.

Although I was technically the Mazur princess, I had always been addressed as "Lady Mazur." Until tonight. Tonight was the night that Father would name me as his successor and relinquish the title of the Mazur leader to me.

And when I married…I would become a lesser princess of the Ivashkov family, in addition to being the Mazur princess.

I walked across the grand ballroom, and the guests parted way for me. I stopped at the dais where my parents sat, and made a low curtsy. I could tell from the rustle of silks behind me that the other guests were curtsying or bowing to my parents.

"Rise," my father said, and we all rose. "And now, enjoy the celebrations!"

With that, all the guests started to mingle and chat. I stood on my tiptoes, but couldn't catch a glimpse of my future fiancée.

"He has not arrived yet," Lissa whispered, and I turned around to face her.

"Please do not tell me that he's…with some…" I couldn't finish my sentence.

Lissa shook her head. "I asked a servant the reason for his delay, and there is something about a road delay."

I groaned. "It will take forever! Carriages do not go particularly fast."

"Perhaps he will take a horse, and ride here," Lissa suggested.

I shook my head. "I doubt it."

Lissa turned her head and looked around. _The men are looking at you, Rose_. I let my hair fall down around my face so I could hide my features for a moment.

Lissa's family had died in a carriage accident a few years ago. We'd discovered last year that I too had died, but Lissa had brought me back from the dead with an unknown element – spirit. We now shared a bond that enabled me to read her thoughts and sometimes I could "be" in her head.

I looked up and returned the gazes boldly before I looked down again.

_You are just torturing them this way_, Lissa added, and I put my hand in front of my lips to hide a smile.

I then turned around, and saw a young man, around the same age as me and Lissa, staring at her. He seemed to be hiding in the shadows. I noticed that he had dark black hair that just touched the edge of his shirt, and he had piercing ice blue eyes. He wore a red mask that only seemed to make his eyes even bluer.

"Liss, that boy's staring at you," I muttered out of the corner of my mouth.

_Which one? There are too many of them_, Lissa said.

"The one with the ice blue eyes."

Lissa turned slowly, making sure not to make eye contact with any of the young men. She raised her head, and the firelight seemed to be echoed in her pale golden hair.

I could tell she had locked eyes with the young man I had pointed out, because I could feel like her whole world had stopped. Her heart raced, and it felt like her cheeks were warm.

_Who _is_ he?_ she wondered, more to herself than me.

She smoothed her hands over the pale green silk dress she wore, which was a good match with her eyes. The ruffled skirt fell to the floor, and hugged her slim body very closely. A gold circlet adorned with emeralds sat on top of her blond hair, and she wore only a pearl choker around her neck. She wore a simple green mask decorated with gold glitter, but the firelight made it hard to discern her features.

His eyes followed every movement she made. I did not know who he was, but I could tell that he was smitten with her. And the feelings radiating from her through the bond…she had not felt this happy since before her family had died.

"You should introduce yourself to him," I whispered into her ear. "In the meantime…I suppose I will have to look for my missing fiancée."

Without waiting for a response, I swept away, the skirt of my red dress brushing lightly against the marble floor.

I knew that I looked very beautiful tonight. My long dark hair was held at the nape of my neck by several jeweled pins, and like Lissa, I wore a gold circlet. The circlet that marked my rank as princess. I wore a red empire waist dress with flowing sleeves and a daring low neckline that exposed my décolletage. I wore a red mask decorated with gold glitter, and red feathers.

One of my suitors, Jesse Zeklos, stepped out of the shadows. He was wearing a white mask decorated with gold. "Would you care to dance, Lady Mazur?" he asked with a wink.

"Of course," I answered, and he led me out onto the dance floor.

We danced several dances until Mason Ashford, one of my dhampir friends, cut in, and then some Voda and Ozera lords I had never met before.

When refreshments were announced, I was relieved. There was still no sign of my soon-to-be-fiancée, and I was glad. I did not feel particularly eager on meeting him and knowing that soon I would have to marry him. Just how soon, I was not particularly sure. But I did not have much time left.

"I made the acquaintance of that young man you pointed out to me," Lissa said breathlessly to me in an undertone as we sipped some punch. "His name is Christian. But he didn't give his last name."

Christian…why did that name sound familiar? I'd never met him before. Christian…those blue eyes…Suddenly it clicked.

I looked over at Lissa, and my heart sank. She seemed so happy. _Should I tell her?_

"What's wrong?" she asked, seeming to pick up on my dark mood.

I made the decision to tell her. She had the right to know. I bit my lip, and leaned forward. "His last name. It's Ozera."

"Christian…Ozera?" Knowledge flashed in Lissa's eyes, and she went paler than she was normally. "Oh, God…"

Christian's parents had chosen to turn Strigoi several years ago. Guardians had killed them, but his aunt had held them off to prevent them from taking Christian.

Suddenly, the doors leading into the grand foyer from the ballroom open and I saw some guardians fall in around a young Moroi man.

The herald banged his staff on the floor three times. "Lord Adrian Ivashkov."

Adrian walked in confidently, and I had to admit, he really was as good-looking as Lissa had described. A dark green mask with ribbons dangled from his hand.

Father strode out to greet the newcomer, but judging from the brief look that flashed in his dark eyes, he was not happy that my future fiancée was late. Mother trailed along at his side, her head held high.

Father spoke briefly to Adrian, and then, he walked over to me.

"Rosemarie Mazur," he said, bowing to me.

"Adrian Ivashkov," I said with a low curtsey. He lifted me, and kissed my hand. "It is a pleasure to meet you."

"The pleasure is all mine, Rosemarie," he said with a wink.

"Call me Rose," I said. I hated my full name.

"Or can I call you…little dhampir?"

I shook my head. "Rose, please." _I can tell we are just going to get along_, I thought acerbically.

"Very well," Adrian said with a shrug. "How are you tonight?"

"Must we follow all the rules for conversation?" I demanded in exasperation. "Just because we are supposed to be engaged does not mean we must be so proper."

"Feisty," Adrian said with a chuckle. "I was late because of…well…a little accident."

"A road accident?" I asked tartly. "You could have just ridden a horse the rest of the way."

"Ah, but my guardians would not let me. Too dangerous for an Ivashkov lord," Adrian said with a chuckle.

The Ivashkovs were one of the most prestigious royal Moroi families. Adrian was probably related somewhat directly to the current queen. When my father had told me of my betrothal a few weeks ago, it had caused somewhat of a scandal. A Moroi lord from the family of the reigning monarch marrying a dhampir princess?

That was the problem with my family – we wouldn't be able to produce any Moroi children. All children from a dhampir and Moroi union would be dhampir. Many of the Moroi wanted to keep their bloodlines "pure," and as such, tried to marry Moroi. Dhampirs couldn't have children together, but there were a few rare exceptions, none of which were from this century…

My family had actually been pure Moroi until Father met Mother and married her. _I_ was now the start of a dhampir royal family. Very few dhampir royal families existed. They often began when a Moroi royal married a dhampir and had children.

* * *

Dimitri POV

I couldn't help but notice the dark-haired girl that was talking with a Moroi man near the door. Although it was hard to tell with the lighting and masks, she looked very beautiful. The red dress clung to she wore clung to her slim body, and exposed much of her décolletage. I could tell, even at this distance, that she was a dhampir. Like me.

As I watched, she removed her mask so that it rested in her long hair. I saw a flash of gold, and realized that she was wearing a gold circlet in her hair. So she was a dhampir princess. I wondered which dhampir royal family she came from.

I made my way towards her, but to my dismay, the music started, and soon the dhampir princess and Moroi man were dancing. Other partygoers blocked me from being able to get to them.

I felt a flash of disappointment…and I had to admit, I was a little jealous of the man who held her as they danced. I checked myself. You do not even know who she is, and yet you are jealous?

When the dance changed, I tapped the Moroi man on the shoulder, and asked the girl, "May I have this dance?"

"Certainly," she answered in a low, sultry voice. She lowered her eyes so that they were hidden for a moment before she looked into my eyes again.

We danced, and I held one of her hands, and rested my other arm around her waist. I felt warm all over where we touched, and I could tell from her shiver that she felt it too. My heart raced at our touch. What was happening to me?

"It is very warm tonight," I said, feeling a need to break the silence between us.

She rolled her eyes. "Please do not tell me that you are going to follow conventional rules of conversation too. I have had to speak properly all night already."

I laughed. "Fair enough. What is your name?"

"Rosemarie."

"That is a beautiful name. My name is Dimitri."

"Please don't call me by my full name," she said as I twirled her around in a circle. Her skirts spun out, and she looked like a blur of fire. "Please call me Rose. I do not know why my mother decided to give me the name Rosemarie."

"Because you are as beautiful as a rose?" I asked, gently brushing away a lock of her hair. It felt smooth as silk under my fingers.

She moved back a little, and I moved with her. "No one has ever said that to me," she said, her voice so soft I could barely hear her. "That I'm beautiful as a rose. People have said that I am beautiful, look pretty…but that is so they can attempt to win my heart."

"No one can just say that to you if they hope to marry you," I protested.

Rose closed her eyes for a moment, and then the dance ended. "I suppose…I should find my friends."

There was a deep-seated bitterness and loneliness in her voice. I wished that I could comfort her, and just hold her until she felt happy again. I shook off the thought.

"Maybe you can escape to a garden for a moment, and collect yourself?" I offered.

Rose closed her eyes and nodded as she pulled the mask back over her head. "Come with me."

* * *

Rose POV

We slipped past the dancing guests, and out past the staircase. We walked down a hallway. The floor under our feet was marble, and I noticed that there were artful watercolor paintings on one side of the wall. Windows lined the other side, and the curtains were drawn back to let the moonlight stream in.

"Isn't it dangerous, with the Strigoi threat growing?" Dimitri asked, keeping his voice low.

I shook my head as we stepped out onto an open terrace, and descended into one of the gardens. "My family has several wards, so we will be safe."

"On nights like these, I love coming here to get away from the crowds," I continued, tilting my head up as we stopped at a bench. "So quiet and beautiful here."

"It is," he agreed, taking my hand. I started, but he did not let go of me. "But the night sky or the flowers are not as beautiful as you are, Roza."

Roza. The Russian equivalent of my name.

I put a hand to my cheeks, feeling warm all over. "Do you really think that?"

"Yes," he whispered, removing his mask. He leaned over and then undid my mask, letting it fall into my lap.

I looked up at him, feeling my heartbeat in crease even more. I could feel a tingle of anticipation in the air – but for what?

He then leaned forward, and gently pressed his lips against mine.

It felt like fire was coursing through me, and I felt tingly all over. I could feel the kiss all the way to my toes. I put my arms around him and kissed him back. It felt like electricity was crackling in the air around us.

I had never been kissed before. I had flirted with some of the young men at balls before, and we would vanish into the gardens, but they would only kiss my hands or my cheeks. This was my very first kiss, and I was thoroughly enjoying it.

_Dimitri_, I thought as we kept kissing and kissing. I just wanted to forget the whole world, and keep kissing him.

"We should probably go," I whispered, forcing myself to pull away from Dimitri. "We will be missed by the others."

Dimitri nodded, and then we walked back into the manor and into the ballroom.

The crowd quickly separated us, and I wondered if we would ever meet again. I made my way towards the dais where my parents sat as fast as I could.

Father stood, and the herald hit his staff on the floor several times to get everyone's attention. My heart sank. I knew what was coming.

"I would like to thank you all for coming to the ball tonight," he began, looking around at us all. Oh no. "I would like to announce that I am naming my successor. I am stepping down as the Mazur prince, and I relinquish the duty of leading the Mazur family to my daughter. Lady Rosemarie Mazur, please step forward."

I walked up the dais, aware of everyone's eyes on me, and knelt gracefully before my father.

He removed the golden circlet I wore and replaced it with a beautiful simple tiara decorated with rubies. I rose to my feet, allowing my skirts to flow down to the floor.

"Princess Rosemarie Mazur, first of her name," Father announced as I floated down the dais.

There was a pause, and then everyone was applauding. It was very rare that someone would be made princess shortly after their eighteenth birthday. Lissa was an exception, being the last Dragomir.

"I would also like to make another announcement," Father announced as the applause died down. Disappointment and fear swooped through me at his words. I saw Adrian, standing close to the dais. "Now that my daughter is the Mazur princess and of age, she must marry. I would like to announce the betrothal of Princess Rosemarie to Lord Adrian Ivashkov, although this is an informal celebration."

I just wanted to run from the room and retreat to my room. Adrian stepped towards me, and I noticed he was holding a small velvet black box in his hand.

"Princess Rosemarie Mazur," he asked as he got down on one knee and opened the box. It held a simple diamond ring with a gold band. My engagement ring. "Would you do the honor of marrying me and becoming my wife?"

A million thoughts raced through my mind, none of which I could say. I desperately wanted to scream, "No! I won't marry you! I love someone else!"

But I could never do that. I had no choice in who I was to marry.

Swallowing back my tears and angry words, I smiled. "Yes. I will marry you."

The applause was even more thunderous than it had been when I had been crowned princess. Adrian slid the ring onto my finger, and stepped back. The diamond caught the light from the candles and chandeliers glowing around us.

People swarmed forward to offer their congratulations, and I sighed to myself. Tonight would be a very long night.

* * *

It was long past midnight when the ball finally ended. I was very relieved to escape to my room.

It was not long after I had changed out of my beautiful gown and into my nightgown before there was a knock on the door. _It's me_, Lissa said.

I opened the door for her, and she came in. She was also in a nightgown. "You are now an engaged woman," she said.

I sighed as I sat down on the bed. "Trust me, it is not as thrilling as it sounds."

There was a moment of silence, and I could feel Lissa's concern for me radiating to me. I shook my head. "I don't particularly want to talk about it tonight."

Lissa hesitated, but nodded. Curiosity replaced her concern. "Where did you go before your father named you as his successor?"

I paused. "I…met a stranger. We went out into the gardens to get fresh air, and then…he gave me my first kiss."

Lissa gasped. "Oh, my God! Who was it?"

"He did not give his last name," I said with a sigh. "Which is a shame. I know that he is dhampir, like me. Maybe if he was from one of the royal families…"

"What is his name?"

"Dimitri."

Absolute shock showed on her face, and I could feel it through the bond. "What's wrong?" I asked. "Why are you looking at me like that?"

_Oh, I don't know how to tell you this_.

"Just tell me, Liss," I pleaded.

Lissa bit her lip and looked down at the floor for a moment. She looked back up and into my eyes.

"His last name is Belikov. He is Prince Dimitri Belikov."

* * *

**Author's note**: So how is this? First time I've tried writing about Rose and Dimitri where they aren't actually guardians...review please :)


	2. On the Balcony

**Disclaimer**: I don't own Vampire Academy.

* * *

Ch. 2 On the Balcony

"What?" I sputtered. "He's…he's a _Belikov_?"

Lissa looked ashamed, but nodded. Her green eyes were full of sadness. "I have seen him from a distance a few times at the Court functions. And when you told me his name…well, there aren't any other dhampir royals with the name Dimitri."

Oh, God. Why did I suddenly feel an urge to be sick? I closed my eyes before opening them again. Not only had I kissed a man who wasn't my betrothed, but I had kissed a man from my family's hated enemy.

The Mazurs and Belikovs had hated each other for _centuries_. No one knew how the feud had originated – at least, no one living. All of the Mazurs had been told that if we were to ever run into a Belikov on the street, we were to turn around and return home at once. "The Belikovs would kill you on the spot," Mother had told me many times. I had only caught glimpses of some of the Belikovs from a distance – mainly Dowager Princess Olena or one of her three daughters – but I did not believe that they would kill me.

I deeply suspected that the root of the grudge lay from when the Mazurs moved to Russia from Turkey. After all, we had technically been moving into where the Belikovs had been first, and there were already many royal families in Russia already. No one had ever confirmed this to me, and to this day, everyone said they had no knowledge of how the feud began.

I knew that I should hate the Belikovs with all my heart. We were a superior family bloodline compared to them, and about a century ago, one of my ancestors – a pure Moroi – had been crowned Queen.

Yet…I did not feel any animosity towards them, like how most of my family felt. And after kissing Dimitri…he gave me feelings that I had not felt around Adrian.

My life was not as cloistered or harsh as many of the other royal girls I knew from attending St. Vladimir's. Often, many of the girls were married off by seventeen, and I would never see them at St. Vladimir's again. I had had a relatively free childhood, especially since I had been trained from birth to become the Mazur princess.

And yet, my childhood had not been completely free. I had felt like I had never been actually to express myself, and that no one beside Lissa truly understood me.

"What do I do now?" I asked, lying back down against my bed. "I cannot take back the kiss."

"Well…it depends on how you feel about what happened," Lissa said tentatively.

"I…" I was at a loss for words. How was I supposed to describe how I had felt?

When Dimitri had kissed me, I had felt like I was complete. Like I had been missing something all my life, and now I had found it. Which was an odd thing for a princess to say, since I had been given anything that I desired from the moment I was born.

"I felt like…that was the best thing in the world," I said at last. _That is quite an understatement_, I noted wryly.

"Do you think you love him?" Lissa asked softly.

That was a good question. I felt like I loved him, like he was the only one who completed me. I wondered if he would love me, with all my faults and flaws.

"I think I do. But I don't know if he does," I admitted, staring at the marble floor. "And I suppose tonight is just one night out of many. I will probably never see him again, except at a distance."

"Don'r think so negatively. Maybe I could leave the manor, and search for him."

"No," I said, shaking my head and squeezing her hand. "You can't. You're the last Dragomir, and you simply can't go out on the streets without a guardian to protect you. Even if it is to find the man I kissed tonight."

Lissa glided over to the balcony, and looked out. A slight smile crossed her lips, which completely baffled me. "Perhaps you do not need to look far, Rose."

* * *

Dimitri POV

I was shocked to learn that the young woman I had shared a passionate kiss with was actually the Mazur princess.

Princess Rosemarie Mazur.

I mentally berated myself as I watched her throughout the crowning ceremony, and her betrothal. How could I not have known who she was? With those stunning exotic features of hers, I should have known from the beginning she was a Mazur! None of the other royal families had dark, exotic features like her. She looked more like a princess than any of the Moroi women I had met, although she was a dhampir princess.

Another thing that had bothered me very deeply – her betrothal to that Ivashkov lord. Lord Adrian Ivashkov.

I had heard many stories about him. None of them were good, and all of them said that he loved to flirt with women, and he loved to drink.

My fists clenched as I continued walking through the quiet streets. Why did _he_ get to marry her? Surely, he did not deserve Roza. He did not deserve to marry such a beautiful, passionate woman.

I passed the Grand Kremlin Palace, and realized that I was just aimlessly walking in circles around the Mazur residence.

I knew I should return home. Mama would be worried, and if I did not return home soon…

I could not find the desire in myself to return home, and I kept walking until I stood near the gates close to the garden I had kissed Rose in.

I listened hard. There was not a single sound coming from within the gates, and I supposed that all the guardians would be posted close to the main entrance. The biggest concern was Strigoi, not men who would want to come to see the Mazur princess…

I climbed over the gate, and lightly dropped into the garden. The garden was full of roses, and I couldn't help but wonder if they had been planted in honor of Rose.

I walked across the moonlit garden, sticking to the shadows. I could imagine that the guardians wouldn't take kindly to strangers strolling in the Mazur garden.

Especially a stranger who was the Belikov prince.

I was now very close to the manor, and looked up. I wondered which room my Roza was in.

As soon as I thought that, one of the balcony doors on the second floor opened and Rose walked out onto the balcony. I felt like I couldn't catch my breath. The moonlight washing over her made her seem like an unearthly goddess, and the nightgown she wore…it clung to her entire body. She walked with a confidence and self-assuredness I did not see in many Moroi or dhampir women.

She walked out to the edge, and leaned out over the balcony. Her eyes seemed very distant and faraway.

_It is the east, and she is the sun_, I thought. She leaned her cheek on her hand. _Oh, that I were a glove upon that hand, that I might touch her cheek_.

"Why does he have to be the Belikov prince?" she murmured to herself. "If it is not bad enough that I have to marry a man that I do not love, I fall in love with the son of my family's hated enemy."

My heart raced. She _loved_ me! I waited to see if she would speak more.

"It is not Dimitri himself who is my enemy, but only his name," she mused to herself. "Even if he was not a Belikov, he would still be the same man. If only he were not a Belikov! Perhaps we would have a chance to be together…"

"If you wish for me to not be a Belikov, I will do as you wish," I said, making my appearance.

She gasped, but her dark eyes widened when she saw me under her balcony. "But how…?"

I bowed to her. As a princess, she required every degree of respect, even if she was a Mazur. Even if she could take care of herself (rumor had it that she had been trained in some of the ways of the guardians, although she was a princess). Even if I wanted to do things that were not very gentleman-like to her. "Milady."

"I have told you to call me Rose," she said, with a touch of petulance. "That is just as bad as calling me by my full name, which I will only tolerate at formal functions."

"I beg your pardon, Rose," I said.

A slight smile crossed her full lips. "What exactly are you doing under my balcony, Lord Belikov?"

"Call me Dimitri," I corrected her. "And I…I could not stop thinking of you, Rose. I felt that I wished to see you, despite the risk of being caught."

"And you decided to eavesdrop on my private conversation?" she asked.

I felt embarrassed, but said, "As I said before, I wanted to see you. It just so happened that you spoke to yourself of your love for me."

Rose looked away. "So you heard it all."

"Yes, and Roza, I return your feelings. I swear by the moon-"

"Swear not by the inconstant moon," Rose interrupted, her dark eyes flashing. "Do not swear at all, but if you must, swear by yourself."

"I swear on my life and soul, that I love you, Princess Roza Mazur."

Rose looked down, and I could see the faint pink tinges on her cheeks. "Climb up to my balcony. The room below mine is merely the library, and none would be there at such a Godforsaken hour."

"Rose!" I heard Vasilisa scold from inside. _Had she been listening to us?_

Rose turned around, and called, "You would not have happened to be eavesdropping, would you?"

"Of course not," Vasilisa said with a touch of sarcasm in her voice. "I shall just say goodnight now, and retire to my room." I heard her get up and close the door behind her.

* * *

Rose POV

I watched Dimitri climb up the vine that led to my balcony. He did so very quietly and gracefully.

"They never taught me how to climb up to someone's balcony so fast," I said softly, keeping my voice low.

"And just who would they be?" Dimitri asked, his accent becoming more pronounced. How had I not noticed it before, even though I had lived in Russia all my life?

"St. Vladimir's," I said. "In fact…" I hesitated, not sure if I should tell him how much I knew about Strigoi killing.

"Are the rumors really true?" he asked.

I stiffened. "What rumors?" _Oh no_.

"That you can fight Strigoi and stake them."

"Oh…" I stalled, wondering if I should tell him. Yes, my parents had been the ones who sent me off to school to learn, but not everyone knew about it. The students at St. Vladimir's had been forced to promise that they would never reveal my identity to people outside of school.

I decided that I could trust him – how strange it was, being able to trust a man I had only met tonight – and said, "Yes. The rumors are true."

There was a look of wonder on Dimitri's face. "A dhampir princess who can fight the Strigoi…"

"If I had not been born a princess, I would have trained as a guardian," I reminded him. "All dhampirs train to be guardians so that they can protect the Moroi."

"I think you would have made an excellent guardian, Rose," he said to me, and I could hear the sincerity in his voice.

I sighed, and looked down at my palms. "Sometimes…I wish I hadn't been born a princess," I confided. "I know that the life of a guardian is hard, since they must always be on the lookout for Strigoi, and that they might have to sacrifice their lives for the Moroi…but I still wish to be a guardian."

It was very unseemly for a princess to wish to be a guardian. I suppose it was because I was a dhampir, and all dhampirs except for royal ones – like me – trained all their lives to be guardians. No Moroi princess would make the same wish as me.

"Aspiring to be a guardian is a noble wish," Dimitri assured me, taking hold of my hand. Our skin tingled.

"Yes, but I am to be married soon," I said bitterly.

Dimitri drew back a little from me. "That is right. I have almost forgotten."

Silence hung between us for a moment. I had to admit, I liked conversing with Dimitri. He did not treat me just as a delicate flower. He treated me as his equal, a woman capable of holding intelligent conversation, although I supposed that he was older than me…

Out of the blue, I blurted, "How old are you?" The moment it was out, I wished I had not asked. I did not intend to be a complete lady, who fluttered her eyelashes and fainted when she needed assistance, but I could not be completely blunt like that.

"I am twenty-four, Roza," Dimitri answered, sounding greatly amused.

"I wonder how old my 'fiancée' is," I muttered.

Dimitri shrugged, and now turned me so that I faced him. There was a deep sadness in his brown eyes, which were as dark as chocolate. "Oh, Roza. Is there any way that you could escape your betrothal, and marry me instead?"

Was he proposing to me? "I wish I could," I whispered, my heart full of sadness. "And I do not know how much longer I will have until I am a married woman. It could be next week, next month…or even a year. But the betrothal is unbreakable, unless I can find a man that I love and prove to my parents…"

"You love me," he whispered.

"But my family hates you," I reminded him, feeling weighed down by the expectation of marrying Adrian Ivashkov."

"We will overcome this together," Dimitri said firmly, squeezing my hands. "I will not let you get away from me so easily, Roza."

"I do not want to be away from you," I murmured, my heart racing as he leaned in closer to me.

He sighed, and his breath smelled sweet as it blew across my face. "Sadly, I do have my own responsibilities as the Belikov prince. I must return soon, since my mission to spy on you was…well…"

"You came to _spy_?" I gasped, pulling away. "Is…is that why you said you loved me?"

Hurt was evident in Dimitri's eyes, and I felt bad for saying it. "I was sent to spy on the ball! How could you say that I would declare my love for you if I was to spy on you?"

I buried my head against Dimitri's chest. "Forgive me, but I did not…"

He kissed the top of my head. "It's all right. But I should probably be on my way home…"

Before I knew what I was doing, I leaned in and kissed him on the lips. It felt like fire was blossoming between us, and I felt like I would be engulfed by my feelings for Dimitri.

He seemed surprised at the intensity of my kiss, but soon began to eagerly return it. He tentatively placed his tongue against my own, and I opened my mouth so our tongues could meet. I felt his arms slide down to my hips, and then soon his hands were going down lower, to the edge of my nightgown….

"No," I murmured, pulling away a little from Dimitri. I could not give up my maidenhead yet – not until I got married. But I was aware that I was starting to feel a little warm in lower parts of my body.

He resumed kissing me, and I could feel his fingers run through my long dark hair. He stopped kissing my lips and moved on to kissing my neck, gently nipping at it.

When we finally stopped kissing, our breathing was hard and ragged. "I will return two nights from now," Dimitri whispered into my ear. "I do not want people to become suspicious of my whereabouts."

I responded by kissing his lips gently. "Two nights from now," I agreed. He gave me one last look and then scaled down my balcony before disappearing into the dark.

* * *

**Author's note**: Some of the dialogue in this chapter is from_ Romeo and Juliet_, or was inspired by the balcony scene. And of course, this chapter was directly inspired by the famous balcony scene. Hope you enjoy this chapter, and reviews greatly appreciated!


	3. Thinking About Love

**Disclaimer**: I don't own Vampire Academy.

* * *

Ch. 3 Thinking About Love

Adrian POV

I lay down in my bed and closed my eyes. God, I was tired. And my head was buzzing a little from the champagne that I had had earlier at the Mazur masquerade.

I don't know why my parents – and Rose's – had to set up this arranged marriage for us. Why could we not have any choice in who we would marry? Were the Mazurs that desperate to have an alliance against the Belikovs?

It wasn't that I didn't like Rose. Compared to most of the women I was with, she was intelligent and headstrong, and word was that she had been trained in some of the ways of the guardians. It was actually quite refreshing.

The only problem? _I did not love her_.

Not when I had someone else in my heart and mind.

My lily girl…Sydney Sage.

She was not a royal of any kind. In fact, she wasn't even a Moroi or dhampir.

She was a human. An Alchemist, actually. I knew that the Alchemists' jobs mainly involved hiding the presence of vampires from the human world. I'd met her while out walking on the streets a few weeks ago.

I knew that she must've had a very harsh training from the time she was young. I wondered what her principles made her believe about us.

We met a few more times after our initial meeting to just speak with each other and relax. And gradually, I found myself falling for her. She tried to deny her feelings for me, but just one look at her aura…she loved me as well. She just wouldn't admit it.

But yesterday, she finally admitted her feelings to me. Unfortunately, that was also the same day I received the news that I was to be engaged to Princess Rosemarie Mazur. I didn't tell Sydney because I didn't want to ruin our happiness. I suspected that it would not be long before the news spread through the Moroi and dhampir population of Moscow.

Still. I wanted to have a few moments of utter happiness with her until she found out. But I swore to myself I would tell her soon. She would hear it from me, not from any of the gossips. She was an Alchemist, but word of a dhampir and Moroi marriage – especially a royal one – would make its way to the Alchemists soon enough.

I was pretty sure that Rose did not love me in return, which was fine with me. I loved my lily girl, after all. I deeply suspected, by looking at her aura, that she was in love with someone else, which was also fine for me. I thought that we would be better off as just acquaintances.

Was there any way that we could both escape a loveless marriage that was only arranged for convenience?

Was there any way that we could also be with the ones that we truly loved?

* * *

Rose POV

I excused myself from the dining room after I had finished my breakfast. Father looked at me closely. "Are you feeling well, Rose?"

I nodded. "Yes. I just wanted to get some fresh air."

"I will go with you," Lissa said, also standing.

Father nodded, and excused me. I could see him lean over to talk to Mother, and she looked over at me with an unreadable expression.

Memories of last night's kiss flooded me as I walked out into the rose garden. I briefly touched my hand to my lips, recalling the sweetness of the kiss, before I dropped my hand.

"You're thinking of Dimitri," Lissa said quietly, and I jumped.

"Is it that noticeable?" I asked.

Lissa shrugged. "I don't need a psychic bond to know what you are thinking, Rose."

"What am I supposed to do?" I murmured, sitting down on the bench with a sigh. "There is no way my parents would allow me to marry him. He is from our rival family. And even if he were not a Belikov…you know that dhampir unions cannot produce babies."

That was another reason my parents wanted me to marry Adrian – we would be able to produce babies and carry on the family line. Very few dhampir couples had produced babies.

Although I would be a part of the Ivashkov family upon my marriage, I would take Father's spot on the Royal Council and make decisions on behalf of the Mazurs. Before my engagement, Father had announced that the first child I had with any suitable Moroi royal would be a Mazur. All the subsequent children would be considered Ivashkovs. It was strange, but it ensured that the Mazur family line would go on.

"Maybe you need to do some research on why your family hates the Belikovs," Lissa suggested, seating herself beside me. "If there was some quarrel all those centuries ago, perhaps it could be resolved."

"I don't even know where to begin," I admitted. "If there is any information regarding the feud, it will have been well-hidden. _Especially_ if we were the cause of the feud."

"Would it look suspicious if you were the one to look around for the information?"

I nodded, feeling frustrated. "You know I rarely go into the library unless it is for studies, or to speak with my father, Liss."

A mischievous expression crossed her face. "Ah, but you know I am the one who is bright, and I love to read."

"Are you saying I am not intelligent?" I asked with mock anger. "If you want to help, then look around by all means. Unfortunately, I don't think it'll be easy to find."

"Well, I do have a way of _asking_ people to give up information," Lissa replied, her pale green eyes flashing.

Her meaning came through, and I flinched. "No. Don't use spirit too much."

After she had discovered last year that she controlled spirit, the fifth element that was almost unheard of, we had done a little more research on the subject. Not much was known about spirit.

One of our discoveries was that over time, if a spirit user used too much spirit, it would eventually lead to them going insane. We had read about St. Vladimir and his shadow-kissed guardian Anna. There had been stories of him not being completely stable. And Anna….she had gone insane after his death, and committed suicide.

It scared me. I was shadow-kissed, and linked to Lissa. Would I someday go insane from the dark effects of spirit like Anna? We would see someday if I would follow Anna's footsteps, or if I would break free from spirit's dark effects.

_Using a little compulsion isn't that much spirit_, Lissa argued.

I glared at her. "I don't want you to go crazy!"

_I won't_, Lissa said. _I'll do the "research" later_. _I'm going to go inside, all right?_

"Fine," I grumbled as she stood and walked away.

_I hope she won't use spirit if she does need information_, I thought as I watched her go.

* * *

Lissa POV

I couldn't stop thinking about him. We had only spoken for a short amount of time last night, but I couldn't help it.

Christian Ozera.

_I wonder where he is_, I mused to myself, not really caring if Rose could hear me.

Everyone had heard about how his parents had turned Strigoi. As such, they were constantly wary of Christian and feared someday he would make the same choice.

But why would he? Moroi turning Strigoi…yes, it happened, but it didn't happen so often that we had to be extra cautious.

I had told him only my first name, choosing to omit my last name. When everyone found out that I was the Dragomir princess, they always fell over themselves trying to be nice to me and get into my good graces. I always felt like that they liked me only because of my name and wealth. Why couldn't anyone just like me for just being myself?

Although I didn't tell Christian my last name, he figured out who I was after we spoke. I supposed not many Moroi royals had the name Vasilisa. I felt lucky that he did not treat me like how many royals did.

_Flashback_

"_You're the Dragomir princess, aren't you?" he asked me, his blue eyes sparkling behind his mask._

"_Yes," I said with a sigh._

"_No need to worry, I won't get into your graces like half the other royals around here," he said, a slight smirk appearing on his face._

"_How would you know if half the other royals try to be nice to me?" I demanded, putting my hands on my hips._

"_Everyone knows about that," Christian said, waving his hand dismissively. "I'm making an effort to not be like the rest of the royals."_

_I smiled at him, and flicked a strand of my pale hair over my shoulder. His blue eyes followed my movement._Did he…like me?_I wondered. I wished, not for the first time, that Adrian could teach me to see and read auras. I'd been able to teach him to heal, but I hadn't been able to learn some of his spirit abilities._

"_So why exactly is this masquerade being held?" Christian asked as the silence lingered between us._

_I hesitated. "I'm sure you'll see why long enough."_

"_But I would like to know before everyone does," Christian protested._

_I arched a brow at him. "Everyone else? But you are part of everyone else?"_

_He scowled at me. "I'm not." There was a hint of bitterness in his words._

_I decided to tell him part of it. "My best friend is Rose Mazur. Tonight, she'll officially be named the Mazur princess."_

_Surprise lit Christian's ice blue eyes. "So that's why Prince Mazur decided to host a ball. The Mazurs don't often hold balls or parties of any type."_

_I sighed. "The Mazurs only hold galas of any type when there is cause for celebration. Whoever they invite must be high enough to meet their standards of high society."_

"_Is that so? Then their standards must've sunk low, if I'm present," Christian shot back, his blue eyes turning icier._

"_Depends if you snuck in or not," I replied._

_Christian's eyes widened. "How on earth did you ever figure that out?"_

_I hadn't intended to – I was only trying to lighten the situation, and I said as much._

_End of flashback_

I don't know why…but I felt like I didn't just like Christian.

I loved him.

But _how_? I had only spoken to him _once_. And since he was so ostracized from the rest of royal society, I doubted we would ever be able to speak again. Perhaps I would only be able to look at him from afar now…

He made me feel so much more alive than anyone else ever could, even Rose. I hadn't felt this happy since before my parents died.

I didn't feel like I was the Dragomir princess, out on display for the entire world to stare at and sweet-talk to.

I felt like _myself_ after spending time with him. And I hadn't felt like myself for a _very_ long time.

* * *

**Author's note**: Rose isn't the only one around who's in love (especially with someone they shouldn't be in love with). Bwahaha :P Hope it makes this "Romeo and Juliet" re-tell a little more interesting! And this is somewhat of a filler, so you can get an idea of what's going on in some of the other character's heads.

On another note…I probably won't be able to update this that much anymore. School's starting in a few days, and I really have to focus a lot more on schoolwork (the woes of a high school student). But I promise I won't abandon this story, and I'll try to update in a few weeks or so. Please enjoy this story, and review! :D


	4. Secret Garden

**Disclaimer**: I don't own Vampire Academy.

* * *

Ch. 4 Secret Garden

I paced the floor of my bedroom in agitation. Tonight was the night that Dimitri would return to me. It had been four nights since the first time we'd met.

I wondered if he had been looking forward to this nighttime meeting. I know I had.

I wondered if we would be able to go elsewhere besides just standing on my balcony. I was very lucky that my parents slept all the way at the end of this floor, and had their own wing. My room was far enough that they wouldn't hear a sound.

"You're very nervous tonight," Lissa remarked as she fluffed out her blond hair.

"How can I not be nervous?" I asked, twirling a lock of my dark brown hair around my finger. "You'd be nervous too, if you were meeting with your…well…lover."

Lissa turned around, and arched a brow at me. "Actually…I have."

I gasped. "When?"

"Yesterday, do you remember I asked to walk around?"

I nodded, and she continued, "Well…I convinced my guardians to leave me for a moment. I walked in Moscow alone, and I happened to run into Christian."

"You 'happened to run into Christian,'" I repeated, and shook my head. "Oh, Liss. Do you think the Royal Council would let you marry him? You must've met him somewhere dark and secret."

Lissa gave me a startled look. "How did you know that?" Then realizing what she'd said, she clapped her hand over her mouth.

I gasped. "Lissa! You…"

_It wasn't anything inappropriate!_ she protested, her cheeks glowing pink. _We were just talking. Nothing else_.

The memory washed into my head from hers.

She'd been walking alone in Moscow because she was tired of having a guardian trail her whenever she set foot outside the Mazur residence. Yes, it was important that the last Dragomir princess was guarded, but she wanted some time to herself.

So she'd walked alone, dressed in her simplest clothes so she wouldn't attract attention. Her features were pretty recognizable, but when she wore simple clothing, no one ever noticed her.

Lissa had walked around, enjoying the anonymity and freedom she had. Then she'd walked into the marketplace, and lots of people were there. Although she'd lived in the same city all her life, she had never been to the marketplace.

She was regretting that she hadn't brought any rubles with her because she hadn't eaten her lunch before coming out. She walked in circles, just taking in all the sights and sounds.

Then she'd run into Christian, like she'd said.

"_Lissa?" he asked, his voice full of disbelief. "Is that you?"_

_She nodded, but put a finger to her lips._

"_What are you doing here?" he asked, his blue eyes wide. "Don't you know how dangerous it is for a royal to walk alone on the streets?"_

"_I'm perfectly fine," she retorted, indignation rising up in her. "Do you think I don't know anything about defending myself, just because I'm a lady?"_

"_You're more than that. You're the last Dragomir," he said, keeping his voice low so no one else around would hear them. "If something happens to you…"_

"_It's still daylight," she said, pointing up at the sky. "It's not even close to daylight."_

_Christian shook his head. "Let me buy you some food, and then I'll send you home._

_She glared at him. "I'm perfectly capable of looking after myself."_

_Christian sighed. "Just let me treat you, Lady Lissa."_

I tried to raise an eyebrow at Lissa, but failed. "Then what happened?"

She shrugged, trying not to look like she was overly concerned. Her emotions told me otherwise. "He did take me somewhere to eat, and walked me home. He insisted that I take one of the carriages, but I insisted on walking."

I shook my head in disbelief. "Are you sure that's all that happened?"

A slight blush tinged her pale cheeks, but she didn't say anything else.

Usually I stayed out of her mind to respect her thoughts, but I was too curious, and she wasn't saying anything. I opened myself up to her thoughts – something I rarely did – and let myself "slip" into her mind.

I got an image of her walking down an alley with Christian before she blocked me out. She shook her head furiously, and indignation flashed in her eyes. "Stop!"

"If you'd only tell me what happened with you and Christian, I wouldn't have to," I remarked.

"That's my own business," Lissa retorted, assuming a haughty voice she only used with servants.

"And your business is my business," I returned, sitting on the bed. "So are you going to tell me?"

Lissa opened her mouth to retort, but at that moment, there was a light tap on the double doors of my balcony. She gave me a self-satisfied look. "Until later, Your Excellency."

I rolled my eyes as she opened the door to let Dimitri in. My heart raced just at the sight of him, and I tried to tell myself to act like a lady. Of course, I had never been very lady-like to begin with. "Your Highness," he said with a slight bow to her. Royals usually addressed each other as "Lord" or "Lady," but in cases where the royal was the "prince" or "princess" of their clan, they would be addressed as "Your Highness."

"Just call me Vasilisa," Lissa said as she backed out of the room. "Rose, I'll let you know if someone's coming. If you choose to leave your room, be careful."

I nodded, and with that, she shut the door.

He walked to me, and kissed my hand. "Milady."

"Oh, how many times must I ask you to just call me Rose?" I asked crossly, trying to hide how affected I was by the feeling of his lips on my skin. I couldn't help but wonder how it would feel if we were together…_really_ together.

I scolded myself, but my cheeks burned. Those were not appropriate thoughts for a lady. I wasn't exactly a lady, but I still retained the etiquette and manners – more or less – of one.

"Your cheeks are all red," Dimitri murmured, stroking my cheek.

"Well, maybe it's because you're in my bedroom when you shouldn't be," I responded, trying not to let on that I had been having thoughts that were not very appropriate.

Dimitri smirked, displaying perfectly straight white teeth. "Perhaps, but I have already been here before."

"That was the balcony, sir," I said mockingly.

He arched an eyebrow at me. _Damn him, how can he do that?_ I wondered. "'Sir?' I didn't know you could be polite, Roza."

"I can be polite if I wanted to," I retorted with a shrug. I noted that his eyes were studying my body and my face, and mentally praised myself for wearing a silk blue dress that contrasted with my dark skin. "It's just rather boring being polite."

He chuckled. "I can see why. Are you going to let me have a look in your bedroom?"

"There's really not much to see," I said, turning to face my bedroom, which was lit by fat wax candles (which cost quite a great deal of money) and my chandelier, softly lit by candles. The marble floor, made of black and white marble, gleamed under our feet.

"I want to see where the great Princess Mazur sleeps at night," Dimitri answered, a wicked look in his dark eyes as he pulled me closer to him.

Heat burned through me at his touch. Our bodies were pressed so close that it felt like we were one instead of two people. All rational thought vanished from me as he pressed his lips against the side of my neck.

"Are…you trying to persuade me?" I managed to gasp out when he trailed his lips slowly down to my collarbone. I struggled not to moan as he brushed his lips over the pulse point of my neck. What was it about Dimitri that enthralled, vexed, and enchanted me at the same time?

"Persuading you should be very easy, Roza," Dimitri murmured before kissing me softly on the lips.

I surrendered myself to his kiss, our tongues playing together for a moment before pulling away from him. He was still standing distractingly close to me. "Don't think that persuading me is as easy as it sounds," I warned, surprised at how ragged my breath was.

"You don't know how I could begin," Dimitri returned, a dark, sensuous note in his voice.

Trying to focus on something besides how I longed to give in to my dark desires, I asked, "Aren't you getting a little bored in my bedroom? Maybe we could go out for a walk."

He gave me a surprised look. "Isn't it dangerous for us to walk around? Your family guardians would kill me."

I shook my head, trying to mask the unease I felt at his words. "I memorized the guardian shifts, and they're at the front and back of the manor. There shouldn't be a problem if we wander to some of the guardians. Besides, it would take at least half an hour to walk from the back of my home to the end of the gardens."

"I just hope sound doesn't carry," Dimitri muttered as he opened the balcony doors and walked out. "How do you plan on getting down?"

"Did you happen to carry any rope with you?" I asked as I stared down at the distance between my balcony and the ground. The ground seemed so far away.

"Of course not," Dimitri said, exasperation in his voice. "I climbed up."

I scowled and gestured to the silk gown I wore. "Do you expect me to climb down, when I'm dressed like this?"

"It's a beautiful dress," he said, studying me closely again. "I'd hate if you ripped or ruined it in some other way…"

"So how on earth should I get down?" I asked.

Dimitri assessed the distance between the balcony and the ground. "I could climb down first and catch you," he suggested.

I gasped. I had no fear of heights…but purposely jumping from a distance that could _kill_ me if Dimitri didn't catch me? That was truly frightening.

He arched a brow at me. "Is the Mazur princess actually scared? I thought you were trained as a guardian."

I glared at him, my fear chased away. "Are you implying that I'm scared? Climb down."

With a soft laugh, he went over the edge of the balcony, and slowly scaled his way down the side of the manor, being careful unlike that first night. As I watched him, I had a new appreciation for how my bedroom was on the second floor. _He must be risking a fall when he came to see me tonight_, I thought as I watched him. _And that very first night he came to me…_

After around less than three minutes, he was finally on the ground. He looked up at me, and held his arms out.

Despite my words, I really was a little scared as I quietly shut the balcony doors behind me and stepped over the edge of the balcony. A slight night breeze blew at me, and my skirts and hair trailed behind me in the wind.

Dimitri didn't dare say anything, for fear that someone within the huge manor would hear, but I could almost read the message in his eyes as he gazed up at me. Do you trust me? his eyes seemed to be asking me.

I let myself fall.

The wind whistled through my ears as I fell, and soon I landed in Dimitri's arms with a slight thud.

He carefully set me on the ground, and took my hand.

"Where shall we go now?" he asked in a low voice as we ducked behind a particularly tall tree.

"The secret garden," I answered.

He gave me a confused look. "What on earth are you talking about? Is there some type of magical garden on the Mazur residence?"

I laughed and we started walking through the rose garden I had led him to last time. "It's not a magical garden, but only Lissa and I know about it. You've heard how she controls spirit, correct?"

He nodded as we made a turn past an elegant Baroque-style fountain. "Yes, I have also heard that it's linked to psychic powers and healing."

"Healing _is_ a psychic power," I muttered. Dimitri opened his mouth to respond, but I held up my hand. "Well, part of her powers involves making plants grow quite well. Last year, she decided to make a garden made up of the plants she grows with spirit. We call it the secret garden."

"Will she mind that I'm going in?" he asked as we stopped in front of a small maze-like enclosure, with two rosebushes growing on either side of the entrance.

I shook my head and led him in. "I already told her there was a possibility we would go here."

The stars seemed to shine brighter here, and the moon illuminated the garden. With our excellent senses, Dimitri and I would've been able to see the garden, but the moonlight made it better.

The garden was surrounded on three sides by a growing hedge. If someone walked in the area behind the hedge, they would be in a small maze. In the center of the garden was a small fountain with figures from Greek mythology. The water seemed to glow silver under the moonlight and stars, and a bench stood in front of the fountain.

Many flowers grew in this garden, thanks to Lissa's spirit powers. The roses were my favorite, even if I didn't especially like my name. Even out of season flowers were growing here. The sweet scents filled the air, but didn't overpower our noses. I picked out the scents of rose, honeysuckle, and jasmine.

"This is amazing," Dimitri murmured as we walked further in. "A truly beautiful location."

We sat on the bench, and I lay my head against his shoulder. He wrapped his arms around me, and I inhaled his sweet scent.

_If only we could be together like this forever_, I thought sadly as I gazed up at the night sky.

He placed his hands on my shoulders and turned me so that I was facing him. My breath came a little faster as he leaned in and pressed his lips to mine.

The kiss wasn't as intense as the one we'd shared earlier, but it still made me feel warm and happy. Dimitri trailed his lips down the side of my neck and to my collarbone, which was exposed by my dress.

I shivered and attacked the side of his neck with my mouth, letting my tongue dart out and taste his smooth skin. He sighed as I kept kissing his neck, and then I gradually made my way up to his lips and kissed him softly before pulling away. His lips tasted amazing, but it was something I couldn't quite describe.

He pulled me back to him, and kissed me quite ferociously. I made a slight sound of protest but he kept kissing me, running his hands through my hair. Before I knew what I was doing, I'd pushed myself even closer to him and soon wrapped my legs around his waist, kissing him the whole time.

He slid his hand to the back of my dress and down to my back. I tilted my head back and he gently caressed the side of my neck before bending down to kiss it.

"You're so beautiful tonight," he murmured against my neck. "You look like a goddess."

I buried my head into his shoulder again to hide my blush as I slid off his lap and back onto the bench. "I love you, Dimitri," I whispered. It was the first time I had ever uttered those words. I had only known him for three nights, and yet, I was already sure I loved him. There was just no way I could ever marry Adrian. Not when I loved Dimitri so much.

"I love you too, Roza," he whispered, kissing my cheek gently.

We stayed like that for a few more minutes, tightly entwined together. He then stood, and pulled me to my feet. "I need to get you home before I can leave."

"But the manor is just over there," I said, feeling confused as we walked out of the garden. "Ten minutes' walk, at most."

"I want to see you safely to your bedroom before I go home," Dimitri insisted, kissing the top of my head. "Come."

* * *

**Author's note**: It has been FOREVER since I wrote anything for this story D: School and a bad case of writer's block caused me to be unable to post until now. Anyway, hope that you'll like this, and that the wait was well worth it :) Reviews/ideas are always greatly appreciated (ideas especially to help out with my writer's block ^^)


	5. The Lily Girl

**Disclaimer**: I don't own Vampire Academy.

* * *

Ch. 5 The Lily Girl

My father requested my presence about two weeks after my secret meeting with Dimitri. I dressed myself in a blue damask gown with flowing skirts and my tiara, and went to the ballroom, which also served as Father's throne room.

He was sitting on the throne, a gold crown on his head, and wearing a dark red tunic with the Mazur coat of arms. Two crossed molnija marks, with a lion rearing on its hind legs. The crest had been adopted after my parents had married, to signify that we were now a royal dhampir family.

I curtsied before him, letting my skirts pool around me. Although I had been crowned the Mazur princess, he was still technically the Mazur prince. As such, I had to show him as much respect as a peasant, even though he was my father.

"Rise," he said, and I rose from my curtsy.

"Why did you call for me?" I asked. Usually, I wasn't permitted to be so informal with other royals, but my parents had encouraged me to speak my mind. I couldn't help but wonder how life would be if I hadn't been born a princess and had instead been born a commoner.

He sighed, stroking his beard. "Her Majesty has asked both me and Lord Nathan Ivashkov to host a betrothal party, in honor of your engagement to Adrian Ivashkov. The party is to be next week, at the Ivashkov manor."

I thanked God that I hadn't seen Adrian since that terrible and yet wonderful masquerade. "Why? I thought that the betrothal was announced after it was made formal the same night you officially named me your successor."

"Not quite. Quite a number of royals know about the betrothal, but we must announce it and ensure that everyone knows. Even the Belikovs, our sworn enemies."

I stiffened at the mention of the Belikovs, but tried my best to keep my emotions off my face. Dimitri. "Why must the Belikovs know about my betrothal? Surely, it will do nothing."

"You have forgotten that we arranged this betrothal so that we will be united against the Belikovs," Father reminded me, his voice a little stern.

"But _you_ married Mother for love," I said, feeling the utter unfairness of it all crash down on my shoulders. "Why can't I have this same option?"

Father sighed. "It was upon the queen's rather _reluctant_ suggestion that I entered talks for this betrothal. Your mother and I were the exception to many royal marriages. Look at Vasilisa's parents, may their souls rest in peace. They were brought together through an arranged marriage, yet found love with each other."

"How am I to find love with Adrian?" I cried, letting my frustration and anger free. "You've heard things about him, haven't you? He loves flirting with other women and drinking. If you put those two together, I assure you that my marriage will not be happy, and I will never find love with him."

"You are to obey me!" Father shouted, springing to his feet. I didn't move but stared directly into his eyes. His eyes greatly resembled my own. Most of my physical features came from him, like my lightly tanned skin, my almond-shaped dark eyes, and my dark hair that looked black in certain lighting. Although he was very angry now, I knew he would never hurt me, his only child.

"I'm the Mazur princess," I answered.

"And I'm your father," he replied. "You must obey me. I'm sorry, Rosemarie. There's no getting around it."

His voice had a great tone of finality in it, and I curtsied to him again. As I turned to go, something occurred to me, and I looked back at him. "Father?"

"Yes?" His voice still sounded angry, but not quite as much.

"How did our feud with the Belikovs begin?"

A moment of silence hung between us. At last Father said, "The feud is bad blood that is too long ago to remember the true origins. Yet it carries over to today, and we will never know the cause."

* * *

I stared dismally into the reflecting glass the night of the betrothal party. I was getting ready at the home of the Ivashkovs, who were hosting tonight's festivities. What am I to do? I wondered. _There is nothing I can do to break myself of the engagement_.

Lissa swept into the room her pale hair swept into a tight twist. She was dressed in a beautiful violet silk gown that shimmered like water in the light. "Still not ready?"

"I wish I didn't have to attend this party," I said bitterly, smoothing the skirt of my white silk dress which was embroidered with red glittering thread. It was a bit low, and perfectly fitted from shoulders to waist.

"We will find a way to get you out of this betrothal," Lissa said, sounding very self-confident and assured.

I shook my head, and the ruby eardrops swung. "No, there is no way. I'm doomed to marry the Queen's nephew, a ladies' man who loves to drink."

Lissa twisted my hair so that it was hanging down on one shoulder and placed my tiara on my head. I sighed as I examined my reflection and looked down distastefully at my ring finger. On it was my engagement ring from Adrian. "Do you think if I 'spoke' with them…"

Her intent was clear in her words and thoughts. _Compulsion might convince your father and Adrian's parents that a marriage between you and Lord Adrian is not necessary_, she added.

I shook my head again. "_No_. You know that ever since I was a small girl, Father has been pushing for me to become engaged to an important Moroi royal. Every royal knows that. For my parents to suddenly change their minds to not make me marry…it would be blamed on compulsion, and I'm afraid the blame will fall on you."

"It would not," Lissa said indignantly as she patted my shoulder with her gloved hand. "Now, we must go. Your formal betrothal party is starting."

* * *

The Ivashkov residence was much grander and opulent than my family manor, but I supposed it was because they came from the same family as Queen Tatiana. I had heard that the queen would show up tonight, but I had no intention of interacting with her more than necessary.

I had met Queen Tatiana a few times before my betrothal to Adrian, but there had been rumors of us becoming betrothed. I had always gotten the distinct feeling that she thought I was nothing but a lowly dhampir despite being the only daughter of my father, the last Mazur prince.

I had heard rumors before my betrothal masquerade that she thought her nephew was better than me, and that she had only agreed to the betrothal so that we could unify against the Belikovs. She didn't like them very much since they were also a dhampir royal family, but she liked my family a bit more. I supposed it was because of the influence my father held.

I descended down one of the grand staircases that led to the ballroom on Adrian's arm. The candles and chandeliers in the ballroom glittered brilliantly around us. His ballroom was easily two times the size of mine. Silk banners decorated with two phoenixes holding swords – the Ivashkov coat of arms – and my family crest hung around the entire room. The floor was a brilliantly polished marble with glittering stones embedded into the marble. All the nobles in attendance tonight were dressed in their finest, making for a vivid display of color.

He'd bowed to me when we had met tonight, as was the common courtesy for a gentleman meeting his betrothed. Yet, I sensed that he wasn't any more interested in this betrothal than I was. That was fine with me. I knew that the queen was very fond of him, since he was her only great nephew.

_Was it possible for him to convince her to change her mind about this betrothal? _I wondered as the crowd began to applaud.

I sighed to myself as we moved through the crowd together, accepting congratulations and well wishes. I wished that my friends from St. Vladimir's were here, but I doubted that Adrian's father – who came from a particularly prestigious branch of the Ivashkovs – would allow "commoners" into his home. And my friends were dhampirs or commoner Moroi, so Adrian's father would never invite them.

We walked to the front of the ballroom, where there were two chairs decorated with the Ivashkov coat of arms. I waited for Adrian to walk up and take his seat before following him. If I were to wed him, I would always follow _behind_ him, his submissive princess wife. I was far from submissive, so I knew that wedding him was the wrong choice. What kind of a Mazur princess would I be if I blindly followed behind my husband for the rest of my life?

If I were to marry Dimitri, I would be able to follow him at his side, not walk behind as a docile, trophy wife. I sighed to myself as I settled into my chair, my white skirts settling around me like a cloud.

My father and Lord Ivashkov walked until they stood at the bottom of the dais on which we sat and turned to face the crowd.

"We are here tonight," Father began, "to announce the future union of my daughter, Princess Rosemarie Mazur, to Lord Nathan Ivashkov's son, Lord Adrian Ivashkov. We hope that with their marriage, the Mazur and Ivashkov houses will be united…"

I tuned out his speech. Who wanted to listen to something like that? Everyone was probably aware of the intentions behind my future marriage to Adrian.

I looked down, and snuck a quick look at my fiancée. He looked utterly bored, and his green eyes were scanning the room restlessly.

Father's speech finally ended with thunderous applause, and I rose to my feet with Adrian. We descended the dais together and onto the ballroom floor.

"And now, we will celebrate their official betrothal with a dance," Lord Ivashkov said, looking very dour.

Adrian lightly took my hand and we began to move to the opening notes of a waltz. As we danced, I noticed how distant his green eyes were, and how stiffly he was holding me.

"Sir, you don't seem very interested in the night's festivities," I remarked as he spun me once.

He let out a short, tense laugh and looked at me. "My apologies, Lady Rose. I'm afraid that I'm not particularly interested in this betrothal. It's not because of you," he finished, with a winning smile.

I smiled back. "Well, if we are to be truthful now, I'm not particularly interested in a betrothal with you."

Relief crossed his face but vanished a few seconds later. "Unfortunately, your father has pushed for this betrothal for many years. I don't think it's possible for us to escape it."

"But perhaps if we put our heads together, we can think of a way," I murmured, lowering my voice as the waltz ended and we stepped away from each other.

His eyes were wide as he looked over my shoulder. I turned to look, but I couldn't see what – or who- he was looking at so intently. "Please excuse me for a moment, Rose. I must speak with someone immediately."

He strode away before I could answer, a look of distress on his face. _What is going on?_ I wondered.

_Rose_, Lissa said. She'd been quiet so far and I hadn't really thought of her much tonight, too absorbed in dark thoughts about my betrothal. _Dimitri is here._

My head snapped up and I immediately scanned the crowd. I saw him standing near the entrance with his dark eyes looking at me. I caught my breath. It was amazing how he could take my breath away, even from across a crowded ballroom.

_Go to him_, Lissa added. _I will cover up for you for at least ten minutes._

I made a note to thank her later, and hurried across the ballroom, keeping my head down. Most of the guests were too busy mingling to notice me.

Dimitri smiled at me as I came to him, and he took my hand. "Let's go away for a moment," he murmured, his lips almost brushing my ear.

We silently slipped out the doors of the ballroom and strolled down the hallways of the Ivashkov home. It was much grander and lavish than my own, but also too spacious and ostentatious.

"Do you know when you are to wed?" Dimitri asked me quietly, keeping his voice soft. We were seemingly alone at this moment, but there would possibly be servants around.

I shook my head and looked down at my ring. I hated the sight of it, no matter how beautiful it was. It was a reminder I had no control of my life, that I was bound to another man. Once I became a married woman…"I still don't know. Father wouldn't say, and I suspect he doesn't know any more than I do."

Pain touched his dark eyes. "Again, we have no way of letting you go from this arranged marriage."

"If only our families didn't hate each other so much," I whispered, letting go of his hand to caress his face.

He sighed. "We would be perfect in the eyes of royal society. We are both the leaders of our royal families, and both dhampir royals."

I smiled ruefully. "And yet, my royal duty binds me to stay. I am one of the remaining direct Mazur descendents. If I were to give up my crown, my birthright, my parents would disown me. But even if they didn't, the princess/prince title will go to my aunt."

He sighed. "I'm afraid my uncle Ivan would step in and become the Belikov prince if I renounced my claims. He has had designs from the start. If he were to become prince, he could possibly become king. I don't trust him very much."

I'd heard of Ivan Belikov. The younger brother of the former Belikov prince, he had hoped to wed Dowager Princess Olena Belikov. Since she was a widow, Ivan would've become the Belikov prince, even though she had three daughters. A royal law stated that if the widow of a prince remarried, her new husband would become the prince of the royal family – if he had enough royal blood to carry on the line. It was a very strange law. She'd refused, and remained as the dowager princess until Dimitri turned eighteen. Of course, at the time he was "the Belikov duke" to me.

"If only everything wasn't so complicated," I said wistfully, staring out a window at the night sky. Most of the year, we ran on a daylight schedule to blend in with the locals and not raise suspicions.

I heard the sound of a door opening down the hall and shivered. Dimitri turned his head in that direction, instantly alert. "Stay close," he instructed, and I obeyed as we slowly made our way down the hall. Strigoi attacks during royal fetes weren't uncommon, so we had to stay on guard, even though we were royals.

To my surprise, I could pick out Adrian's voice as we got closer. We crept to the door and listened.

"How could you not have told me this?" I heard a girl's voice shout. "This has been going on for weeks…even months, for all I know!"

"I knew it was a possibility, but-"

"Be quiet," the girl snapped, her voice trembling with hurt. "You _knew_ it was a possibility. That makes it even worse. I should've been smarter, and paid attention. After that masquerade…the informal announcement. You knew I would find out things. You should've known better than to hide it from me. We will always know."

I exchanged a mystified glance with Dimitri. This girl made it sound like she was part of a secret society or organization. We paid attention to the conversation.

"Listen to me," Adrian said, and I could hear the sadness in his voice. "I didn't keep quiet so I could keep seeing you. I kept quiet so I wouldn't upset you."

"You must be crazy," the girl said bitterly. I could hear the sounds of her slippers on the hardwood floor inside the room. "Of course it would upset me. You're engaged to another woman."

_Did Adrian have some secret mistress that was in love with him?_ I wondered.

"Do you think it's my choice?" Adrian demanded, sounding angry now. "If it was up to me, I wouldn't marry Rose. She seems like a wonderful person, but we're not meant for each other. She's in love with someone else. I don't have any control over my life now!"

"You're telling me that you don't have any control?" the girl asked. Her voice was eerily calm now, and I shivered. Why could she sound so calm? Then she continued. "I don't have any control over my own life. I was shipped off here without any choice three months ago when I started working. I could be forced to leave any day on a whim, and I wouldn't be able to speak up. Not that I'd be able to, or I'd be a traitor." Her voice was cool, but I could hear the bitterness and resentment in it.

"Sydney," Adrian whispered, "I don't want to marry Rose. If I could, I would marry you. I love you, Sydney." There was a quick intake of breath before he continued. "I want to spend the rest of my life with you. I don't know how, but I'll try my best to get out of the engagement. If I have to run away to live with you, I will."

"Your parents would disown you," Sydney whispered, "and the queen herself…"

"I love you, Sydney," Adrian repeated, and then silence reigned in the room.

I peered into the room and almost gasped. Adrian was locked in a passionate kiss with a blond girl in a white dress, his hands sliding up to her neck as they kissed. She was making soft sounds of contentment in her throat before they pulled away and I got a good look at her.

She had dark blond hair that fell to her shoulders, and dark brown eyes. There was an intricate design of a golden lily on her cheek.

But what surprised me the most was the fact that she was neither Moroi nor dhampir. She was a human.

I straightened from my position and quickly walked away from the room, with Dimitri at my heels. We stopped once we were around the corner from the ballroom.

"Adrian is in love with a human girl," I whispered, trying to register that fact. "A human! That's…"

"Unheard of, especially since we started pulling away from humans around three centuries ago," Dimitri finished for me, his arms going around me. "But for what it's worth, I think he loves her."

Realization struck me. "They're in the same situation as us. Trying to get out of the engagement so Adrian can be with Sydney, whoever she is."

"Maybe there's some hope for us after all," Dimitri murmured before he leaned in and kissed me passionately. We stood there kissing for a few moments, not caring if someone came and saw us.

I pulled away, breathing heavily, but whispered, "I swear, I will find a way to break the engagement. If I have to die to be with you, I'll do it."

* * *

**Author's note:** Hello everyone! Been a long time since I updated. I have writer's block for both this AND_ A Golden Love_, which sucks :/ And is that foreshadowing I see in Rose's last words? Reviews and ideas (did I mention ideas?) are very greatly appreciated ;) Winter break is coming in little over a week, so hopefully I will be able to start writing again and get this story back on track. Enjoy!


	6. United in Love

**Disclaimer**: I don't own Vampire Academy.

* * *

Ch. 6 United in Love

I re-entered the ballroom with my fan in hand, feeling like my entire world had turned upside down after seeing Adrian and Sydney – and not in a bad way.

He was in love with another girl, and loved someone else. Perhaps there was some way we could break free from our unwanted betrothal.

Lissa was standing near the door, and she said, _Just about the right time to return. Another dance is starting soon, and it'll be dancing all night long from there_.

I sighed as I sank into a chair. Dimitri stepped into the ballroom, and my eyes followed him as he walked past me. Only a brief glance at me revealed the blazing emotions in his eyes.

He paused a few feet away from me. A dark haired Moroi woman rose from my side to greet him. "Dimka," she purred. I stiffened in astonishment. _Who is this woman?_

"Tasha," he said stiffly as she embraced him for a moment too long before stepping back. His eyes flicked at me, obvious indecision in his eyes before he reluctantly turned back to her.

"It's been awhile," she whispered, leaning in far too close to him for my taste. I bristled. "Why haven't we spoken in so long?"

He stepped back. "You are the one who broke off the courtship when we were still together, so why are you coming back to me now?"

"I only broke it off because you wouldn't marry me," she murmured, her voice so low I had to lean in a little to catch her words. "You loved me, Dimka. It broke my heart to end things with you."

My breath caught, and I coughed loudly before fanning myself.

The woman turned to the side, and the candlelight and chandeliers threw light on her features.

She was very pretty, with black hair as dark as night, and intense icy blue eyes in a round, heart-shaped face. But it wasn't her stunning beauty that left me speechless.

On her left cheek were raised, purple scars. They were clearly old scars, but it looked like someone had bitten and taken out part of her cheek. With a chill, I realized that was what had happened to her – and who she was.

She was Tasha Ozera, Christian's aunt. She'd been the one who had saved Christian from his Strigoi parents before the guardians had showed up and killed them. Her bravery impressed me, and she was clearly beautiful despite her scars, but then something struck me.

Dimitri had once courted Tasha Ozera. He'd loved her, and probably done things with her we could never do.

A horrible thought occurred to me. Was it possible…that they had made-

I forced myself to cut off the images that were threatening to crowd my head and pay attention to Dimitri and Tasha. I did not like the images that my thoughts were coming up with.

"If it really broke your heart, you wouldn't be here," Dimitri said coolly, leaning back and crossing his arms. I could see how perfect they looked together – Dimitri with his dark, handsome looks, and Tasha with her pale, icy beauty.

"I want you to court me again," Tasha breathed, looking up at him with those blue eyes. "Please. I won't leave you. I'll love you forever. And you know the concessions I am willing to make. If you don't marry, your family line will end."

Oh, God.

If Tasha married Dimitri, they would be able to have dhampir babies. Very few Moroi chose to marry dhampirs, and even in my arranged engagement, it had been a struggle to get Adrian to – albeit unwillingly - agree. Moroi men would sometimes have affairs with dhampir women before they went back to Moroi women.

My mind was spinning, and for a moment, it felt like everything around me had stopped moving. I felt like I would be sick with jealousy and anger. Not that Dimitri had courted Tasha, but that he had never told me. We'd been in love for a few months. That wasn't a long time, especially since courtships could span years, but just in that short time, I knew I loved him with my entire soul. I trusted him with everything.

But had I been wrong? How could I trust him if he had once courted another woman and hadn't told me?

_You've been courted by many young suitors_, a voice said in my head that sounded like Lissa's.

I looked up and saw Lissa regarding me from a few feet away with a slight smile on her lips, Christian at her side.

I sighed, and accepted a champagne glass from a server. I sniffed it and took a sip before finishing the rest of the drink. She knew me so well, bond or no bond.

_Stop being so jealous_, she chided. _It was in the past, so forget about it. Dimitri only loves you_,_ and that should be enough. Don't be jealous of a woman he used to court_.

"Why are you turning me down?" Tasha asked, her lip trembling and her blue eyes wide with unshed tears. I wasn't sure at first if she had loved him, because it was possible she had been attracted to his good looks and wealth. However, she sounded genuinely hurt and upset.

Dimitri sighed, but there wasn't much regret in his dark eyes. "Tasha, I once loved you quite a bit." My heart twisted a little in my chest, but it went away with his next words. "And I was heartbroken at first, but I understand better now. We are not meant to be for each other."

"Why?" she repeated, her voice quivering, leaning toward him and taking his hand. This was as though I was listening in on a private conversation, despite the dozens of people attending tonight's festivities. I stiffened at their contact but kept listening.

"I don't want to lead you on," he said softly. "I don't want to court you again, knowing that you love me more than I love you. For so long, I thought I was in love with you. I see the truth now. I loved you, only as a friend."

"But I want to be with you," Tasha whispered, her voice so soft I could barely hear her.

"You'll find a man who is meant to be with you," Dimitri told her firmly, letting go of her hand and stepping away from her. "I love someone else." My breath caught at his words.

Tasha's head snapped up defiantly at that. Her blue eyes gleamed, and I didn't like the desperateness I saw in them. "You are the man meant to be with me. I'll do anything in my power to make you stay with me."

"You _can't_ take away my free will," Dimitri said sharply, his face going cold. I watched the exchange between them, a very uneasy feeling spreading over me.

_Compulsion_, Lissa said, confirming my fears. _If she can't have him with him loving her in return, she will use compulsion on him_.

Anger boiled through me even though Dimitri wasn't flirting with Tasha. Compulsion?

Tasha was staring at him with those big blue eyes. He frowned, and turned away from her. Our eyes locked for just a brief moment. There were a million things in his eyes that could never be spoken, but I understood. Happiness flowed through me, replacing my momentary anger. "Excuse me," he said curtly, strolling away.

My heart leapt, even as Adrian strode back into the ballroom. He had rejected Tasha because of _me_. He truly loved only me.

I saw Lord Nathan Ivashkov practically pounce on Adrian as soon as he set foot in the ballroom. "Where in God's name have you been?" Lord Ivashkov demanded, his cold face becoming even sterner and angrier.

"Taking a walk," Adrian answered as he snatched up a glass of champagne from a passing server's tray. "I did need some fresh air."

"You can't go wandering around our home," his father scolded. "Tonight is a very important night. It will solidify our alliance with the Mazurs and send a message to those Belikovs that we are stronger and more powerful than they are." He paused and distastefully added, "Even if you have to marry that Mazur girl."

I bristled angrily at the mention of me. "That Mazur girl." I was the Mazur _princess_, and had higher ranking than him.

Adrian said as much, to my surprise. "Rose outranks you since she is the Mazur princess. And don't be so rude to my…fiancée." His last word sounded forced, as though it pained him to say it. I couldn't blame him. I winced at the last word too.

"She's a dhampir princess," Lord Ivashkov said dismissively. "It's a shame you have to marry a dhampir, but that is the lesser of two evils."

I scowled as I rose and strode over to Adrian and Lord Ivashkov. _Lord Ivashkov apparently harbored disdain towards dhampir royals_, I noted wryly. "Good evening," I said, working to keep my tone cordial.

Adrian bowed to me, but Lord Ivashkov merely gave me a stiff nod. "Lady Mazur."

That was a blatant lack of courtesy. How I wished my father was here to see that! "It's _Princess_ Mazur, sir," I corrected sharply. Lord Ivashkov's expression didn't change, and he didn't speak.

"Have you forgotten I have named Rosemarie as my successor and the princess?" Father boomed as he walked over to us.

Lord Ivashkov started, and bowed – a bow that wasn't as low as required for a prince or princess, but it would do. "My apologies…Princess Mazur."

Father's eyes narrowed, showing that he was aware of the sarcasm in Lord Ivashkov's voice. I stepped in before he decided he wanted to get into a fight. "Shall we go for another turn around the floor?" I asked Adrian, putting on a bright smile.

He bowed to me again and took my hand. "Your wish is my command, milady."

* * *

I woke up the next morning with a throbbing head. Throughout the rest of the evening at the Ivashkov's, I had drunk too much champagne. Alcohol had been the only way for me to have some control.

I turned over on my bed so that I lay on my stomach and sighed. I had seen Dimitri only earlier last night – or this morning, considering that the festivities had gone on until dawn – but I missed him so much already.

There was a knock on my door. _It's me_, Lissa said.

"Come in," I said.

She walked in, dressed in a loose white shift, and sat down on my bed. "You should probably get up soon," she remarked.

"I've only been asleep for a few hours," I muttered, turning my head to stare at the clock on top of my dresser. I couldn't really see it, since my mind was filled with thoughts of Dimitri.

"Thinking about…him?" Lissa asked, her voice soft. We had to be careful about what we said around my home, in case someone overheard and reported to my parents.

I nodded.

She sighed. _Well, I was up earlier. Your father was receiving a visitor in the parlor, and I guess it was Lord Ivashkov from the sounds of it. They're already planning the wedding_.

"_What_?!" I shouted, sitting upright in my bed. Horror and shock filled my heart. "No, no, no." I put on my slippers and pulled a dressing gown over my thin nightgown.

Lissa held up her hand to stop me. _Listen to me! _she barked, which was very uncharacteristic of her. I remained on my feet, poised to run towards the door and find my father. _Luckily, they didn't mention exactly when. However, Lord Ivashkov mentioned "hopefully within the next full moon."_

One month. I had approximately one month's time – at most, if nothing changed – until I would be wed to Adrian for the rest of my life. It could _not_ happen.

"That's it, I'm talking to my father," I muttered.

"The last time you did, your father said it was your duty," Lissa dryly said, "and that was…only a week ago. He won't listen to you anymore. He's set on marrying you off to Adrian to assure the alliance."

"I will not marry Adrian!" I yelled, finally losing my patience and my temper. I didn't care if the entire castle heard.

Sure enough, it was dead silent outside. I heard footsteps moving away from the door.

Lissa groaned and fell onto my bed. "Wonderful, Rose. Now your father will call you in for an audience."

"Let him do so," I growled. "I've made my mind up – I refuse to marry Adrian at all costs. Even if I have to elope to do so."

Her words came true faster than I had expected. Within forty-five minutes, a maid knocked on my door. "Your father requests your presence in the parlor, Princess Rosemarie."

I got dressed in a white shift and padded downstairs. _Rose, you need to control your temper_, Lissa chided.

I was shown into the visiting parlor and the page boy bowed before leaving the room.

Father was sitting in one of the armchairs. I gave him a short curtsy before standing. "Rose, one of the maids reported that you...stated you didn't want to marry Adrian."

"I have told you before, I don't want to marry Adrian," I hissed, my temper flaring up.

I wasn't angry that Adrian loved a human girl.

I was angry that I was being forced to marry a man for the sake of maintaining an alliance against my family's rivals. The same family from which the love of my life was from.

"And I've told you at least a hundred times. We have to form an alliance with the Ivashkovs to prove our strength against the Belikovs!" Father snapped, nearly livid with anger.

"Why are the Belikovs our enemies?" I demanded. "If we don't know where this feud came from, why should we hate them?"

"We have always hated the Belikovs, and we will carry on this feud!" Father shouted, springing to his feet.

I glared at him. _Why was he so blinded by hate when he doesn't even know the cause of this dispute? _"I think you're just reciting things my grandparents must've told you. If you don't know the reason behind the feud, there's no reason for us to hate each other. Or to force me to marry Adrian."

"Don't turn the feud into why you don't want to marry Adrian," my father scolded. "I am aware that you and Adrian don't love each other. I am sorry for that, but you have no choice. The betrothal can't be broken, after the years of negotiation."

I pursed my lips. _So this is more about his dignity and not losing face, after all that effort to get me betrothed to Adrian in the first place, besides the feud itself_. "Is there any way you could at least delay it?"

Father shook his head. "What's this all about?"

I hesitated. I hadn't expected for me to ever tell him I was in love with Dimitri, but now… "I love someone else," I blurted out, "and he loves me in return. Please don't force me to spend my lifetime as the wife of someone who doesn't love me back."

His face softened briefly before becoming stern once more. "I'm sorry, Rose, but there's simply no chance of breaking the betrothal now. Perhaps if you had spoken before the official celebration last night…"

"But you wouldn't have let me, would you?" I asked softly.

Father paused for a moment, stroking his goatee. "If you had come to me earlier, perhaps there had been a chance of arranging a betrothal to someone else. Now, it's too late. You are dismissed."

Anger flowed through me. All he cared about was giving me, his only child and the heiress, to the grand-nephew of the queen to ensure a strong alliance against our "sworn enemies."

I curtsied briefly before I turned and stormed out of the throne room. I had only one choice now.

* * *

I made my way along the cobblestone streets, taking care to keep the cloak around my face. It was now night, but there would be plenty of Moroi and dhampirs about. We had slept most of the day, and now we would be out and about at night. Part of my human genes – although my mother was dhampir – regretted that we were awake at night.

The night was cold and I shivered in my cloak. After five more minutes of walking, I was finally at a small chapel where mostly dhampirs and non-royal Moroi worshipped.

I stepped in, shutting the door behind me. The priest, a young Moroi man by the name of James, greeted me. "Good evening, Princess Mazur," he said with a bow. He didn't seem too surprised at my unexpected visit.

"Has Lissa spoken to you of why I came here tonight?" I asked him as I removed my cloak and let it drop to the ground.

He shook his head. "Princess Dragomir did say that this matter was of the utmost importance, and that I was not to speak of it to anyone."

"I want you to perform a secret wedding," I blurted out.

James raised his eyebrows. "Well. That was a little unexpected. Are you that eager to get married to Lord Ivashkov?"

I sighed. The entire world knew about my engagement to Adrian. "No. I want to get married to someone else."

Silence hung in the air between us, while James attempted to sputter out a reply. "Marry. Someone else?" he finally managed to get out.

"I don't love Adrian," I said with a sigh. "So I thought…I might as well marry the man I love, even if it's a secret marriage and won't be sanctioned by…well, anyone."

"This is a good idea," James admitted, straightening and walking to the altar to light the candles.

"A _good_ idea? You looked like you were about to call my father on me," I muttered darkly.

He turned around. "The marriage vows are binding. Once you consummate your marriage, you can't divorce – and even attempting to divorce on grounds of infidelity will be hard."

My thoughts were in a jumble after this, but the doors to the chapel banged open and I heard footsteps.

"Roza?" that warm, familiar voice called tentatively. My heart leapt. _It was him!_

"Dimitri!" I called as he walked into the chapel. He looked amazing, even though he was wearing a simple tunic with his breeches. I embraced him as he came closer. "I've missed you so much."

"It's only been a day," he teased as he stroked my hair.

"The Mazur princess marrying the Belikov prince," James murmured.

Dimitri and I turned, and I almost blushed at my display of affection for him. "If word of your marriage gets out soon enough, Rosemarie's marriage to Lord Ivashkov could be prevented, and the warring families would be at peace, after all these centuries." James paused for a moment."Well, shall we get on with it, before anyone else comes in?"

I looked down at my dress ruefully. It wouldn't have been something I had wanted to get married in. I was wearing a red empire-waisted dress with long flowing sleeves, embroidered with golden thread. Although I hadn't wanted to marry Adrian, I had pictured my dream wedding to Dimitri. In my mind, our wedding wouldn't have been as simple and hasty as the circumstances surrounding us demanded it to be now.

As if he could read my mind, Dimitri leaned in and whispered, "You look beautiful, Roza. I don't need a big, fancy wedding for me to marry you." I smiled, feeling warm all over.

We spoke the vows after we knelt before James.

"I, Dimitri Belikov, take you, Rosemarie Mazur, to be my wife, to have and to hold from this day forward, for better or for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish; from this day forward until death do us part," Dimitri said, and the warm, affectionate look in his eyes made me weak to my knees.

"I, Rosemarie Mazur, take you, Dimitri Belikov, to be my husband, to have and to hold from this day forward, for better or for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish; from this day forward until death do us part," I whispered, feeling like my heart would burst from happiness.

We exchanged rings, and I noted how both of them were simple silver rings. There was nothing extravagant or flashy about our rings, which I liked.

"I pronounce you husband and wife. You may now kiss the bride," James intoned, stepping back.

We gazed into each other's eyes for a moment. He leaned in, and I closed my eyes as he pressed his lips against my own. It was a soft, gentle kiss, not like many of the passionate kisses we'd shared in the past. This kiss conveyed the love and affection he felt for me, and the joy of being united in love with me.

He pulled away, keeping close to me, and we smiled at each other before linking hands. I leaned my head against his chest, listening to the sound of his heart.

In that moment, there was nothing standing in between us and our love for each other. We were now married. There was nothing in the world but us.

* * *

**Author's note**: Merry Christmas everyone! Now that it's winter break, hopefully I can write more :) I've forgotten how much I enjoyed writing. It's a lot easier to write now that I'm on vacation. As always, reviews/ideas for both this story and _A Golden Love_ (if you haven't read it, it's my Sydrian story) will always be appreciated. Sorry the wedding scene was kinda short compared to the other parts in this chapter. Do you guys think I should include a chapter with Rose's and Dimitri's honeymoon night? ;) Happy reading ^^


	7. The Fight

**Disclaimer**: I don't own Vampire Academy.

* * *

Ch. 7 The Fight

I walked out of the tiny chapel hand in hand with Dimitri and into a small alley.

"We're finally married," Dimitri whispered, his eyes dark with excitement as he leaned in to give me a quick kiss.

_Married_. The word alone was enough to make me shiver with delight. Now, I belonged to Dimitri, and he to me.

"But how will it be possible for us to consummate it and make it binding?" he asked as he lifted my hand and kissed it.

I sighed. "I don't know, but I don't think it's possible for us to do so tonight." I had never really thought much about my wedding night. I'd daydreamed a lot about my dream wedding, but not much about the wedding night itself.

"It's alright," Dimitri murmured, his voice soft. "We'll wait until there's someplace we can consummate it, and soon, we will be able to reveal ourselves. Adrian can marry Sydney, and all should be well."

"I hope everything will go well," I murmured, pulling my cloak back over my face. "If anyone finds out about our wedding before we can consummate it…" I blushed just saying those words.

"Don't worry," Dimitri assured me. "As long as I keep our wedding certificate safe, we will be safe too. And I'll keep it away from prying eyes."

"I'll send a message to you when I can," I said, standing on tiptoe to kiss him. He was so much taller than me that it was a bit of a stretch, but I managed. "Farewell for now."

"Farewell for now, Roza," Dimitri repeated, lifting his hand to my cheek. I soaked in the feel of his skin on mine for a moment before I regretfully turned and started walking back home.

* * *

Dimitri POV

I watched my beloved Roza walk away, her cloak billowing behind her in the slight night wind. It would be awhile before we could meet again, but our love was worth waiting for.

I smiled to myself as I walked through the streets of Moscow. I couldn't wait until we could share a bed together and ensure that our marriage was binding. Nothing would stand in the way of our being together then.

I didn't feel like walking back home just yet. I would have to put with Mama hovering around me, and Uncle Ivan watching me with those cold, calculating eyes. I wasn't afraid of my uncle, despite his intentions to steal my title. He would do anything in his power to remove me from power, and I suspected if he found out about my marriage to Rose, he would go straight to Mama and ask her to revoke my title.

I sighed as I passed the marketplace, which was still bustling and full of life even at this late hour. Mama was fair and just, but I feared even she would agree with Uncle Ivan – whom she never agreed with. Marrying a Mazur was simply against everything a Belikov was taught. I could imagine the screaming matches that would occur if my family were to find out, and grimaced at the thought.

My only possible ally was my younger sister Viktoria. She had always looked up to me, and supported everything I did (no matter how crazy…needless to say, I hadn't done anything crazy). Still, I doubted even Mama would listen to her, the youngest daughter.

Lost in thought, I made my way through the marketplace. I decided to head to the tavern and get a drink.

I wasn't planning on drinking myself senseless – that was something I would leave to Rose's fiancée (oh, how I hated thinking the word). There had been a time when I had loved drinking alcohol very much. Russian vodka was especially the best – and very plentiful. Now, I rarely drank unless it was at royal parties, and even then, not that much. I only wanted to get a drink now so I could loosen up a little.

I entered the tavern and the barman stood to greet me. I slipped him a few coins so that he wouldn't announce that the Belikov prince was here, and he gave me a good seat near one of the windows. I ordered a glass of white wine and waited until one of the maids came to serve it to me.

She smiled coyly at me as she sauntered over with my glass, fluttering her eyelashes and leaning in uncomfortably close to me. Her eyes were a stunning blue that reminded me of the sea. I could tell that from the low cut of her dress and her flirtatious manner that she was looking for someone to spend the night with – preferably a rich, handsome, strong man.

I refused to give her anything else other than a polite nod. Her eyes turned cold and she set my glass on the table with a loud bang before storming off.

I shook my head as I took a sip of my wine. There was no way that I was ever going to find a mistress and replace my Roza, no matter how pretty the girl might be. Roza was the most beautiful girl of all, and the only one I would love. Girls of all kinds had tried to play their way into my affections, but I had rejected them all – even Tasha, in the end – and I was grateful I had.

_After one more glass I'm going home_, I reminded myself as I downed the contents of my glass.

The same maid came to give me my second glass of wine, but she wasn't pleased about it. She regarded me coolly as she put down my glass and walked off. I was a little amused that she was so put off by my rejection.

As I raised my glass to my lips, I noticed a group of five Moroi men – all royals – walk into the tavern. Several of them had pretty Moroi and dhampir women all over them. I wrinkled my nose in distaste and turned away from them. _Must they really flaunt their mistresses in public_? I wondered.

I noticed that Adrian Ivashkov was among the men who'd walked in, but he didn't have a woman on his arm. He had a huge reputation as a ladies' man, and I hoped that it was because of the mysterious human girl Sydney that kept him from playing around with women now.

They were seated at a huge table in the center of the room, and ordered several jugs of Russian vodka. _If they aren't careful, they will end up more drunk than they originally intended to be_, I thought as I finally took a sip of my wine.

"So you're going to get married to the dhampir princess," one of the royals slurred after two glasses of vodka. I recognized him – Jesse Zeklos. He was around Roza's age, and like Adrian, he was a ladies' man.

"Within two months," Adrian muttered, downing his third glass of alcohol. That man really knew how to drink.

Jesse winked at one of the Moroi girls with the men, and she giggled loudly. "I'd say you have more than enough experience for your wedding night, eh?"

Adrian shrugged and downed another glass. I was listening more intently to the conversation, and an uneasy sense spread through me.

"It doesn't really matter," he slurred. "Not that interested in getting married."

"You could always have a woman on the side," another royal suggested with a leer on his face. "Marry the Mazur princess for the alliance, and then carry on an affair with a woman who you actually like.''

Anger flowed through me, and I didn't think it was just the alcohol that was making me so angry. He was suggesting that Adrian could cheat on Rose once they were married!

"Find a woman who's much prettier than the Mazur girl," Jesse agreed as he slipped his arm around the shoulders of a Moroi girl sitting beside him. "I mean Rose is amazingly beautiful with her looks. And if you believe the rumors, she's been trained as a guardian." He said the last words with a snort.

"A royal princess training as a guardian?" another man asked. "That's preposterous. Women shouldn't even be training as guardians at all! They should stay home and take care of the family, as they've always done."

I really started getting angry at that. He was implying that women weren't as capable of being trained as guardians as men. That they weren't equal compared to us. I had been trained as a guardian, and the women who worked at the school I'd attended were tough warriors. They weren't afraid of anything. _Calm yourself_, I reminded myself and tried to calm down with deep breaths.

Jesse shrugged. "Well, it doesn't matter. If the Mazur princess is still pure and chaste, I'm sure your wedding night will be thrilling." These last words were directed at Adrian.

Adrian answered, "I'm sure that the wedding night will be fun, especially since I'm marrying a dhampir. And dhampir women can be as good in bed as a courtesan-"

That did it. I couldn't stand by anymore and listen to them talk about Rose in that crude way. They were debasing her integrity and character. My control snapped.

I lunged at Adrian and punched him square in the jaw. The women around me screamed and instantly started backing away from the table. The rest of the tavern suddenly turned their attention to the center of the table.

"What was that for?!" Adrian demanded, rubbing his jaw.

"You shouldn't talk so crudely about a princess," I answered, my chest heaving.

"Rose?" Adrian asked. He was probably drunk and wouldn't even remember this in the morning, but I couldn't take this. "Why are you suddenly so defensive about her, huh? I'm her fiancée, and soon enough, she'll be in my bed and I -"

I punched him again. Or tried to, I should say. Adrian blocked my punch with amazingly fast reflexes, which was surprising given how drunk he was. "Stop it," he snapped.

"You shouldn't have been talking about your fiancée in such a crude manner," I retorted coldly. _I can't let him talk about Roza in that way_. He tried aiming for my rib cage, but I blocked him and flipped him over my shoulder. There were gasps of shock from the onlookers.

He tried to get up but I punched his jaw again, and he fell down unconscious.

Jesse decided to try and attack me from behind, but I heard him and sidestepped. He tripped over Adrian and went down. I aimed a punch at his cheek, and he stayed down.

There was dead silence in the tavern. The barman stepped forward, his eyes round with fright. "Go, before the queen finds out!"

Suddenly, the full force of what I had done registered with me. I had hit the queen's grandnephew and injured him. I looked down at Adrian. He wouldn't die, but the queen would demand my life to be paid for Adrian's injuries. I had no choice now.

I turned, and fled the tavern into the night.

* * *

Rose POV

I couldn't help but smile when I returned home. All through my quiet study time in my bedroom, dinner…

My parents, undoubtedly, were a bit suspicious but didn't press. They kept exchanging looks with each other throughout dinner, but nothing could dampen my excitement. I was married to the love of my life. I had only told Lissa about my wedding. What could go wrong?

But things took a turn for the worst when it was half past ten and I was with my parents and Lissa in the visiting parlor. A messenger boy – wearing the queen's coat of arms – rushed in with an urgent message for my father. I felt a little offended that I wasn't the one receiving the message, since I was the Mazur princess, but I supposed my father took first priority…

"Oh, God!" Father gasped, his face going white.

"What happened?" Mother asked, her eyes full of concern as she stood from where she sat across the room and ran to him.

"It's…Adrian…." Father gasped out. He tossed the letter in my direction and it ended in my lap. Lissa rose from her seat across and ran until she was at my side.

I stared down at the letter. It was marked with the queen's seal, and I opened it with trembling fingers.

_To Lord and Princess Mazur,_

_I have grave news. My grand-nephew, Princess Mazur's fiancée, was attacked by Prince Belikov at a tavern a few hours ago. Adrian is fine, and is expected to recover from his injuries. Luckily, because of the element he controls, he will heal quickly. However, the price for attacking a member of the Ivashkov family related to me is high. I demand the life of the Belikov prince as compensation for this insult to my family. There is no word of the missing prince's whereabouts. Because of the quarrel between you and the Belikov family, I ask you that if you know the whereabouts of Prince Belikov, you must place him within my custody immediately._

_Tatiana Ivashkov_

_Dimitri_, I thought, terror spreading through my whole body. Lissa closed her eyes, and calming feelings spread to me through the bond.

_He's alive, at least_, Lissa said, _but he's in hiding. This is terrible timing, considering your recent wedding. There's no way you can tell everyone now. _I knew she was right, and my heart sank.

"Your fiancée was attacked," Mother murmured, covering her mouth with her hand. "We must see him at once."

"I don't think Adrian is fit to be seen at the moment," Father said, "seeing as the queen offered no clues to where he is being treated. We must wait until further word is sent. But we must focus on finding Prince Belikov and delivering him to the queen's justice."

"Justice? What justice is this?" Mother snapped, her eyes flashing. "Once he is within her custody, he is a dead man."

"It is fair justice, for attacking a relative of the queen," Father asserted. "He's lucky he won't be killed in a slow, painful way." I winced at his words. _He's so insensitive_, I thought.

Mother shook her head and brushed a bit of her red hair away from her face. "I think it's time that you meet with one of the Belikovs and end the feud, once and for all, with our Rose as our ambassador."

"Janine, you're being ridiculous. They'd kill her at the sight of her. I'm not letting our only child walk into the enemy's den!"

"Excuse me," I said, curtsying to my parents. I could tell this would be a long night of arguing between them. Once my mother had her mind set on something, she wouldn't let go, no matter how much someone else resisted.

* * *

"Where is Dimitri?" I whispered to Lissa once we were locked in my room. "I want to know where he is."

_He'll be fine_, she answered, but her pale green eyes were worried. _I wonder if it's even going to be possible for him to come back and see you_.

"Probably not, but I just want to see him and know he's okay," I replied.

There was a knock on my door, which jolted me from my worries and I stood to open it. "This was unmarked, but it was marked for you," the maid said, holding a silver tray with an envelope on it.

My heart leapt, but I kept my emotions off my face as I took the envelope and thanked her. I shut the door behind me and opened the envelope. A piece of parchment slid out.

_For my beloved,_

_I was careless tonight. I shouldn't have let what he said get to me, but the crude way his friends – and he, to a certain extent – were talking about you! I couldn't let it go, and so…you probably know the rest by now. I couldn't write your name, in case someone traced this letter and linked us together._

_I'm still in Moscow, at an undisclosed location. I need to leave within the next three nights, before I am found. However, before I leave, I would like to make our vows binding. If it's possible, send me a note through the kitchen maid Ana. If not, I will write again when it's safe._

_Love always,_

_D_

I understood the need for vagueness in the note. If the note was intercepted, we would be implicated if our names were in it.

I hurried over to where I kept my writing tools and pulled out a note, a quill, and some ink pot. I started scribbling a note to him.

_To my love,_

_I received your message this evening. Come to make our vows binding in two nights, but be on the lookout starting from the gardens. If it isn't safe, send my namesake to me. Be careful._

_Love,_

_R_

"Are you sure this is a good idea?" Lissa whispered anxiously as I sealed my letter shut.

"It's not safe, but it's my only choice," I said. I held out the envelope. "Give to Ana, please. If I'm caught down in the kitchens…"

_I will, but please be careful_, Lissa said with a sigh. She took the envelope from me and left my bedroom.

_To think love could be so complicated, _she added, more to herself than me.

I sighed and laid down on my bed. If all went well, then in two nights, I would see Dimitri. But if something went wrong…I shivered, not even wanting to think about what would happen.

* * *

**Author's note**: Since lots of people wanted me to include Rose's and Dimitri's honeymoon night, expect it to see in the next chapter ;D Review please!


	8. Honeymoon Bliss

**Disclaimer**: I don't own Vampire Academy.

**Warning: M FOR SEXUAL CONTENT**

* * *

Ch. 8 Honeymoon Bliss

Two nights following the fight between Dimitri and Adrian, I anxiously paced circles around in my bedroom. It was close to midnight, the time Dimitri would come to me. I kept looking out the window for any signs of him.

_Will it hurt?_ I wondered. _Will_…

I shoved all the questions about tonight out of my head. It would be with the man I loved, so I was a little excited about it.

Of course, I didn't actually know much about it. I hadn't really been taught about that at the Academy. When I had asked Mother (I had been around fourteen or so), she had been very vague about the subject. "Just lie back and let him do what he wishes," had been her words.

"What if I actually like my husband?" I had asked. "Or love him, like you and Father."

Mother had made no response to my question, and excused herself very quickly afterwards. I was still very curious, and it had only been very recently – after a talk with a few of the maids in my household – that I knew what went on in the bedchamber between a married couple. Now I wondered how it would be between me and Dimitri, especially since we loved each other.

"He's coming," Lissa reassured me as she smoothed down the bedcovers a fifth time. "He didn't send a rose back to you, so he's coming."

"What if he gets caught by one of the guardians?" I whispered as I sat down on the bed. "There's a reward for finding him-"

"Dimitri's smart," she said, "and he was trained as a guardian. He'll be fine."

As if to punctuate her words, there was a soft tap on the window, and I eagerly rushed over and unlocked my window. "Dimitri," I whispered.

He looked handsome as ever, although there were circles under his eyes, no doubt from being constantly on the lookout. "I've missed you so much," I added, throwing myself into his arms.

His arms went around my waist, and heat burned through me at his touch. "I've missed you too, Roza," he murmured. I heard the door open and close from behind me. "It's only been a day, but it feels as though months have passed since I last saw you."

I loosened my hold on him, and our eyes met. A moment of anticipation hung between us, and I lunged at him, kissing him.

"Take it easy, Roza," he murmured, pulling away from me a little.

"I don't want to," I replied. He kissed me, his tongue sliding in between my mouth. I resisted a little, but gave in and our tongues danced against each other.

I felt him turn me around as we kept kissing and pull me even closer toward him. I could feel something very hard between his legs pressing against the thin cloth of my nightgown, which I found very arousing.

Our kiss grew even wilder when he lifted me easily in his arms, and without breaking the kiss, carried me to the bed. We were both breathing heavily after the incredibly long kiss. There was no space between us, and he leaned forward, pushing my skirt up to bare me from the waist down.

"So beautiful," he whispered, his voice alluring. I shivered as he fumbled for the buttons on the back of my nightgown. He struggled with the first one, and let out a growl of frustration.

I smirked at him, feeling that I wanted to tease him a little about his trouble with undoing my nightgown. "Having a little trouble?"

"Not anymore," he said, and without warning, tore my nightgown completely in half.

"Are you insane?" I gasped, backing away from him as he dropped the shredded nightgown onto the floor. I reached for the bed sheets to cover myself, but his hand caught my wrist.

A blush spread all over my cheeks as he stared unabashedly at my unclothed body, but I asked, "See something you like?"

He smiled wickedly at me. "I see lots of things I like."

I opened my mouth to talk but he cut me off by sealing his lips over mine. His lips then left my lips and trailed down to my neck. I sighed in pleasure and tilted my head, giving him more access to my neck. His tongue moved down my neck.

I reached out and unbuttoned his shirt as he moved his mouth slowly to my shoulders. Before I was even halfway done, he took my hand. "Perhaps I should do the rest of it," he murmured in a sultry voice.

He loosened his shirt and then his breeches. I gasped as he threw his clothes into a pile on the floor, staring in awe at his body.

God, his body was perfect. He was tanned and muscled, but not overly so. I ran my hands down his chest, and he sighed in contentment.

"Your body's so perfect," I whispered.

"Not as perfect as yours," he murmured, his gaze hot on my body. I felt hot and flustered under his gaze, and couldn't make one of my usual retorts. He ran his hands through my hair, mussing my carefully combed hair.

I couldn't believe that we were both unclothed, and lying on my bed together, and soon about to make love to each other. He kissed me passionately before he pulled away and whispered, "Are you a virgin?"

A flush spread over my cheeks and uncertainty surged through me. Had he made love to many women before? "Does it bother you if I am?" I asked quietly, not meeting his gaze. "I…didn't realize-"

"I just wanted to know," he murmured, kissing my neck. I sighed and pulled him closer. "But I like knowing that I will be your first. The first one to have ever made love to you, Roza."

Pleasure flowed through me at his words and we kept kissing. He was soon pushing me down against the bed, and I could feel something hard pressing in between my legs. I wanted him to be inside me, making love to me…

As though he could read my mind, Dimitri looked at me with those dark, intense eyes and whispered, "Roza…I want to do things to you, to make you feel you good."

"But you already are," I replied, feeling confused.

"Things that will make you feel really good," he added, and a shiver went through me at his words.

"You can do anything you want to me," I whispered flirtatiously.

"Don't take back your words," he murmured. He moved his hand from around my shoulders down, against my neck, to the area between my breasts…I shivered as his fingers on my skin left a trail of fire against me.

Then his finger was in between my legs. I wondered what he was going to do. Without any warning, he pushed it into me.

I gasped at the sensations rolling through my entire body. No one had ever touched me in the most private part of my body, and the feeling was shocking yet sensual.

"Does it hurt?" he whispered anxiously after my gasp. I felt him try to slide his finger out, but I didn't want him to stop.

"It doesn't hurt," I murmured. It was the most amazing feeling in the world. "Please don't stop."

"Don't stop…?" he repeated softly. Then a smile crossed his face, making him even more gorgeous. "Don't say I didn't warn you."

He pushed his finger even further into me, parting the swollen tissue. I moaned, squirming against his touch. "Shh, we're still in your bedroom," he warned. "Don't moan so loudly."

"How can I help it?" I gasped out. There was no other way for me to express the pleasure I felt. "It feels so good, how am I supposed to control myself?"

"If you don't stop being loud, I'll stop," he teased, taking his finger out. I felt swollen in between my legs, and I whimpered. "Please," I pleaded, breathing heavily.

"I like it when you beg," he whispered sultrily. "What do you want me to do, Roza?"

I was almost embarrassed that I had to tell him what I wanted, but my need won out over my embarrassment."Please put your finger in," I begged. I was trembling all over from need and desire for him. If he didn't keep putting his finger in, I was going to combust.

"As you wish, but remember to be quiet or I'll stop," he whispered, his voice soft as silk.

He slid his finger more gently in than he had the first time he'd put it in. He started moving his finger up and down before he leaned down and gently kissed me. But his slow, gentle movements wasn't what I had in mind tonight – even if it was my first time.

"Please go faster," I said.

He paused and looked up at me. "You want me to be rough?" he asked, sounding shocked by my request.

I nodded. He started moving slowly again and then he increased the tempo of his fingers, kissing me passionately. I pulled him hard against me until he was on top of me. He raked his fingers down along the sensitive skin of my inner wall, and I whimpered.

"You're so soft, Roza," he whispered into my ear. He slid a second finger in, and I squirmed against him.

"Oh, Dimitri," I gasped out as he began moving his fingers faster. A few more moments passed, and I whispered, "Stop."

He pulled his fingers out of my core with a wet sound that made me ache in between my legs before laying his head against my chest. My heartbeat was racing frantically. "Did you like that?" he asked, kissing my cheek.

"Yes," I whispered, rolling out from under him and getting on top of him.

Amusement was clear in Dimitri's eyes. "Do you want to be in control?" he teased, stroking the side of my face.

"If I did, what are you going to do about it?" I taunted, stroking his chest. I kissed the side of his neck, my long hair falling around my face .

He caught me by surprise by rolling me over and pinning me down against the bed. "I took it back," he murmured. He trailed kisses down from my throat to my shoulders, and then to the swell of my breasts.

I shivered a little when our eyes met.

He soon eased himself into me, and I could feel how hard he was. I kissed him frantically, letting my hands roam all over his smooth back. I parted my legs even more, and I felt him push a little further. I let out a moan as he started to move inside me. I loved how our bodies seemed to fit, like we had been made just for each other.

Then I realized how slowly and gently he was moving in and out of me. Like he wanted to be careful and not break me. I placed my finger on his lips to get his attention. He looked up at me, and I shoved my hips almost aggressively against him.

"No, Roza," he whispered softly. "I don't want to hurt you."

"You won't hurt me," I replied. "It's impossible for you to hurt me."

He resisted, but I could tell that my aggressiveness was making him eager to be rough with me. Although he was being gentle with me, he wanted to be rough. With a muffled groan, he moved even faster. I moaned, and he crushed his lips against mine to muffle it.

I could tell he was starting to lose control when he started moving very fast in me, shoving his body against my own. I was being driven back against the bed from his thrusts, but I didn't care, and just kept kissing him. I moaned even louder against his mouth a few times, and my body tightened up around him.

"Let go," Dimitri breathed into my ear.

I did as he said, and cried out his name as my entire world exploded around me. He thrust one last time inside of me as he came and had his own release. We both collapsed against my bed, breathing heavily and covered in a light sheen of sweat.

He then kissed my lips very softly a few minutes later, a kiss that was in deep contrast with our rough lovemaking that had consummated our marriage. Now, our marriage was truly sealed. "I love you, Roza. I'll always be here for you."

I smiled up at him drowsily as he pulled me closer to him. "I love you too, Dimitri."

I fell asleep in his arms, and drifted off into blissful dreams.


	9. Solution

**Disclaimer**: I don't own Vampire Academy.

* * *

Ch. 9 Solution

I woke up the way I had fallen asleep, still curled up in Dimitri's arms. The sun was very faintly peeking over the horizon in the distance.

I stretched a little, and the memories of our lovemaking last night raced through my mind. My cheeks grew warm from remembering.

Then I realized the time and sat up in my bed, looking over my bare shoulder at Dimitri. He was already awake, and his eyes were warm with affection as our eyes met.

"Do you have to go so soon?" I asked, realizing my voice was full of heartache and loss just at the thought of him leaving. I didn't want him to leave me. A bird chirped in the trees near my balcony. "It isn't yet sunrise. The sound was the nightingale."

"It was the lark, not the nightingale that sings at night," Dimitri whispered anxiously, turning his head to look out the window. "Look at the light in the east. The night has ended. If I want to live, I must leave. If I stay, I'll surely die."

"That light isn't daylight," I murmured, laying my head on his chest. "It's still night. Stay with me a little longer."

"If that's how you want it…" he murmured, his lips at my neck. Before I knew what had happened, I was under him, our bodies pressed tight against each other. He pinned my wrists up above my head and gave me a long, languorous kiss.

I kissed him back eagerly before he broke away. I was surprised to feel lust and desire pooling in a very low area on my body. "I'm happy, if that's what you want. I'll pretend that it's still night. I won't go to St. Petersburg. I'll stay as long as you want me to, Roza. Perhaps we could continue more of what happened last night…"

I shivered in pleasure at the suggestiveness in his words and kissed him. If he stayed, we could kiss, make love, hold each other…

Then I remembered how dangerous it was for him and stopped kissing him. "What's wrong, Roza?" he asked, his voice soft.

"You have to go," I whispered. "You can't stay here! It's becoming day outside. The sun is coming up over the horizon. If you're caught with me…" Outside, the sun's rays were getting brighter and brighter. _If only the sun didn't have to rise_, I thought bitterly.

Dimitri kissed my lips very briefly before he was out of bed, retrieving his clothes and putting them back on. I got out of my bed and found a nightgown in my wardrobe and slipped it on.

There was a knock on the door. The bond told me it was Lissa, which relieved me. _Everyone's beginning to wake_, she said, and I was surprised to hear how sleepy she sounded, even in her thoughts. _Be careful, and look out._

I dug deeper into her thoughts, and found that she'd been talking with Christian on her balcony last night. It reminded me of when Dimitri and I had first spoken of our love for each other the same night we had met. No wonder she was exhausted…

Dimitri then slipped out onto the balcony and I followed him, our hands entwined. "And now I must be gone," he whispered, letting go of his hand to stroke my cheek. "Give me a kiss before we have to bide each other farewell."

I tilted my head up for him, and he kissed my lips hard, almost ferociously. My lips felt like they would be bruised from the forcefulness of his kiss, but I didn't care. I slid my arms around his neck as we kissed, our lips hot on each other's. Our kiss gradually softened until it was a gentle coaxing of our tongues. Although the kiss was gentler it still held the same intensity and passion of our earlier kiss.

I broke away from him, gasping from the intensity of our kissing. Our gaze locked for a moment and then he hopped over the balcony and scaled his way down the wall.

"Are you gone so soon?" I called softly down to him, sorrow piercing through my heart. He was now on the ground, looking up at me. "Write to me every day. Every day will seem like a lifetime until we meet again."

"Farewell, Roza," he whispered, his words carrying to me. "I will write you every day that I can."

"Will we ever meet again?" I murmured. With the queen so intent on having Dimitri killed for avenging his fight with Adrian…it could very well be many months, maybe even years before we could meet again.

"We will," Dimitri assured me. "We will pull through this together, and our love will be stronger."

I wish I could be hopeful as him, but I suspected he was acting so for my sake. I had a horrible feeling that something bad would happen to both of us. I could see that he was thinking the same thing, by looking into his eyes.

"Goodbye, goodbye," he whispered before he turned and ran. I watched him leave until the trees and gardens hid him from sight.

I knew that St. Petersburg was quite a distance from Moscow – about three days away. It wasn't nearly as far as where the Belikovs' home town was – Baia. From what I understood of their origins, Olena– Dimitri's mother – had been living modestly in Baia until Lord Andrei Belikov had passed through, courted her, and married her. The four children that resulted from the union had mostly been raised in Baia until Lord Belikov's death. He had died a few years after his youngest daughter, Viktoria, was born.

I wondered why Dimitri hadn't gone back to Baia, where he'd been raised most of his life. I stared moodily out of my balcony as the sun began to rise.

Then I understood. Because Dimitri had mainly grown up in Baia, it would be the first place guardians and hunting parties would look for him. Admittedly, it was at least a week's ride from here, but it was a likely place. St. Petersburg was a less likely place for Dimitri to hide, and there were less Moroi and dhampirs there.

There was a knock on my door and I whirled around. "Rose? Are you awake?" my mother called. _Why is she up so early?_ I wondered uneasily. _Most of us here don't wake till nine in the morning_.

"I just woke up," I answered, walking to the door and unlocking it. Mother stood there in her nightgown and dressing robe. My unease grew at her appearance. _Why would Mother be here so early, and in her nightgown?_

"Your father and I have… interesting news," she said, pushing away a strand of her unruly red curls. There was a bite to the word "interesting."

"What is it?" I asked politely.

"Get dressed, and come to the parlor," she replied before she swept away.

I threw on a simple shift before racing down to the parlor. Father and Mother were already there, waiting for me.

When I was seated in my seat, Mother looked over at Father. There was a strange, unsettled feeling simmering in the air. "Abe, will you tell her, or shall I?"

"I will," Father boomed. He turned to face me. "Rosemarie, in the aftermath of the attack on your fiancée… in three days' time, you will be married to Lord Ivashkov, with a wedding befitting that of a princess and a wife of an Ivashkov."

Absolute horror filled my heart. I couldn't move, and I couldn't speak. I would be _married_ to Adrian Ivashkov. In three days.

"Why?" I gasped out.

Father didn't sound pleased. "Why not? The sooner you get married the better! And send a message to those damn Belikovs that neither we nor the Ivashkovs are to be trifled with."

"No!" I shouted, springing to my feet. "I will not be Adrian's bride. We have been engaged for these past few months, yet he has never courted me. A prospective fiancée is supposed to court his beloved before they are to be wed. I won't marry yet."

"How can you refuse to marry him?" Father thundered, his face becoming angrier and angrier. "Aren't you proud of being wed to someone of your high class and status? As a princess, you have a duty to marry, and marry well. You are unworthy of Adrian Ivashkov!"

Fear pulsed through my veins, but I had to continue. I couldn't give in. I met my father's eyes – exactly like mine – coolly. "I am thankful that you have endeavored to get me a wealthy, respectable husband. But I can't marry him. I can't marry a man who is so different from me, and such-"

"What is this?" Father bellowed, springing to his feet as I had. "You are a spoiled girl, and I have always coddled your spoiled ways. Get yourself ready for the church to marry Adrian Ivashkov. If you don't go of your own accord, I will drag you on your knees there! You worthless, disgraceful girl!"

I stared up in him in shock. I had always been his precious treasure, the heiress, his jewel. And he was flinging such hurtful insults at me, his only daughter .

I knelt before him and bowed my head. I had no choice. I wanted to scream and yell my defiance, but I understood that wasn't the way to get him to listen to me. "Father, please listen to me!"

"Why should I?" Father demanded, glaring down at where I knelt. "Marry Adrian in two days or you can't look upon my face again. Don't say anything to me!" He turned to Mother, who was staring at him in absolute dismay. "When she was born, we thought that she was a blessing from heaven. In truth, we were cursed with an ungrateful wretch! All my life, I have trained her to be the princess and have searched for a well-off man to marry her to. He would take care of her for me when I am gone. Adrian is wealthy, an important royal, handsome – any woman would be a fool not to marry him. And yet this fool of a girl says she won't get married because she doesn't love him."

He wheeled on me, his face full of disgust and fury. I shrank back, a bit frightened by the depth of his rage. "If you won't marry him, you are banished from my house! You can't live here, and you'll be disowned. If you want to stay, you will marry Adrian. If you won't, you will be thrown out on the streets and I will never take you back. I won't take back my word."

I rose to my feet as he stalked out of the room, muttering several curses in Turkish. I turned to my mother, begging her with my eyes. Maybe she could save me. "Don't throw me out! Can't you delay this wedding for a week?"

Mother held her hand up, her face full of exhaustion and submission. She had accepted Father's choice, as much as she disliked it. I remembered her suggestion of perhaps finding peace with the Belikovs. "I can't do anything more, Rose. I tried talking him out of it, but your father is a stubborn man. It's up to you, to make your choice." She turned and walked out of the room.

I sank to my knees in utter disbelief. I had two options – marry Adrian, or be disowned. And yet, I was already a wife, and had consummated my marriage. _What am I to do?_ I wondered with despair. I didn't want to marry Adrian at any costs… and yet, if I was disowned….

Lissa rushed into the room in a blur of violet skirts. "What happened?" she asked, wrapping her arms around me. "I heard shouting."

I couldn't hold it back any longer, and a few tears trickled down my cheek. I related the entire story of what had happened just moments earlier before she walked in.

Her pale green eyes were wide with sympathy for me, and anger at my father. _How can he force his only daughter to marry?_ she asked.

I shook my head, and looked down. "He must be serious about proving our power and status over the Belikovs," I said bitterly.

_He always was serious. If we could find the root of this long-seated quarrel, it would help! Or revealing you're married to Dimitri_, Lissa said.

I laid my head on one of the cushions and sighed. "I don't have a choice. You've been looking for ages, Liss. There's nothing. It's like someone deliberately wanted to keep the Mazurs and Belikovs from making peace."

Lissa's eyes widened, and she had an idea. _Rose, what if that's the reason no one knows the cause of the feud? Someone wanted to keep the Mazurs and Belikovs fighting so there'd be no peace._

I sat up, and stared at her. "That sounds like a plausible explanation…but why?"

_The Mazurs and Belikovs are both powerful clans_, Lissa said. _Some of the monarchs from the thirteenth century have come from the Mazurs and Belikovs. They were very powerful and wise. Maybe someone figured if they kept you and the Belikovs apart, there would be no chance of another ruler from either of your families_.

I had to admit, that was a pretty smart theory. "But again – why?" I glanced over my shoulder and lowered my voice to a whisper. "And could the queen be aware of this?"

"I doubt it," Lissa said softly, "but you never know." She was far more trusting of Queen Tatiana than I was.

I rose from my lounging position. "I need to see Friar James."

Lissa tilted her head quizzically. _Why?_

"I need to speak with him at once."

* * *

I knocked frantically on the door to Friar James's chapel. He opened the door, and motioned me in.

"What brings you to my chapel so early in the morning?" he asked politely.

"Friar, I'm already married to Dimitri, but my parents want to force me to marry Adrian – um, Lord Ivashkov – in three days," I quickly explained. "If I don't do as they say, I will be disowned!"

James raised his eyebrows as we walked down the aisle between the rows of seats. "That's quite a situation you have there."

"I won't break my vows to my husband," I said. "I'll do anything to keep from being married to Adrian. If I have to, I will kill myself." I had a silver stake in my bedroom. Silver stakes were the only way to kill Strigoi because they were charmed with the four elements – water, fire, earth, and air. It would kill me too, but it wouldn't impact me as badly as a Strigoi.

"Don't talk of killing yourself," James cautioned, but I wanted to do something. My impulsive nature wanted to do anything other than sit and wait to be married. I wouldn't take this quietly. If I was to be disowned, then so be it. My parents couldn't dictate who I could marry, and they certainly couldn't dictate my heart.

He walked over to a small box lying on the altar, and pulled out a small vial. He walked back to where I still stood by the seats, and offered me the vial.

"What is it?" I asked, feeling unease as I peered at the contents. The liquid was completely clear, with a slight glint to the liquid. A chill went down my spine.

"It's a poison that will stop your breathing and heartbeat-" James began.

I gasped in horror, and backed away from him. _Is he a murderer?_ "Are you trying to kill me?" I burst out, reaching for the silver dagger I had concealed on my arm. _Why_?

"Wait!" James pleaded. "Why would I kill you, Princess Mazur? I would be killed too."

That briefly stopped me, but I remained wary. "Then what are you attempting to do?"

"Go home, and tell your parents that you have agreed to marry Adrian. Take the potion in two nights' time, the night before your wedding to Adrian. It will make you appear dead, but you will be in a drug-induced coma. You will seem dead to everyone, including your family and Adrian. However, this will put you to sleep for two whole days. On the morning of the third day, you will wake. I will send a message to Dimitri – in St. Petersburg – and he will take you away from here for a little while. But you must have courage and strength," James said.

I gazed at the vial he held, a million thoughts running through my head. _This plan is crazy_, I thought. Coming from me, that was a truly scary thought. _But...if I don't follow through, I won't ever see Dimitri again_... I then took the vial and curtsied to him. "Love will give me strength. Thank you, Friar."

I slipped the vial under my cloak and departed.

* * *

**Author's note**: This chapter is a bit shorter than I had hoped to make, but I didn't want to rush. I had wanted to end the story in the next chapter, but it would be too rushed. Admittedly this last scene sounds a bit rushed... Review and enjoy (not necessarily in that order) :D


	10. Resolution

**Disclaimer**: I don't own Vampire Academy.

* * *

Ch. 10 Resolution

I returned home, and instantly went to Lissa's room. She opened when I knocked. "What are you going to do now?" she asked me quietly as I came in.

I sat down on her bed, and told her the friar's plan. She was completely aghast at the mention of the drug, and stared at the vial in shock when I showed her. "It's called the Sleeping Death potion in Romanian," she said, gingerly setting it down. "It's very potent. If something goes wrong… you'll be in a coma for the rest of your life."

I didn't want to tell her that that was one of my fears. That if the drug worked _too_ well on me, I would never wake up. "Friar James had no other plan," I confided. "You're the only one who knows."

"The letter that the friar sent must be on its way to Dimitri in St. Petersburg," Lissa murmured. "That's quite a distance."

"Since he just sent it off, I'm guessing that Dimitri will receive it in two days. Couriers do travel pretty quickly," I offered. I sobered quickly. "But if he reaches me a day or two after the potion's worn off…

_You're taking the potion past midnight on Wednesday?_ Lissa asked. _I nodded. Today's Tuesday. Dimitri should receive the letter Thursday, when everyone discovers that you are "dead."_ She cringed over the word "dead."

I understood why. I had died once, those years ago in the carriage accident that had killed Lissa's family. She couldn't bear the thought of me taking the Sleeping Death potion, and perhaps never waking up again. She'd only been able to bear being alone – and becoming the Dragomir princess – for the past few years because I had always been at her side. If I died, she would be on her own. She wouldn't be able to take it anymore. I shied away from those thoughts.

Because I had already been brought back from the dead, was it possible for me to be brought back a second time? This question echoed in both our minds. She tried to shake off the gloomy thoughts and continued_. If all goes well, you'll wake Saturday morning. Dimitri should be here by then, and be able to take you away_.

"But where on earth will I go?" I wondered.

Lissa shrugged. _If Friar James' letter gets to Dimitri, then Dimitri would know. _

I sighed and stood up. "I have to talk to my parents about…marrying Adrian."

She regarded me sympathetically with her big green eyes. _Good luck, Rose_. Sympathy beat out to me through our bond, and I sighed.

I had a feeling I would need it. A lot of good luck, and even that wouldn't help me.

* * *

Father and Mother were both in the parlor again, but they were doing leisurely activities. Mother looked up at my approach, and put down her needlework.

"What have you decided?" Father asked coolly. That stung. He once would've greeted me with affection and happiness. Just a few days ago, he had told me that if I had spoken to him before the official celebration… That was something. Now, he treated me as a stranger.

"I beg your pardon," I answered, kneeling. "Forgive me. I will marry Adrian, as you wish."

Even as I spoke, I felt cold. I was lying. I wouldn't be married to Adrian. But the distance between me and my parents had grown too great. If I had to run away with Dimitri to protect our love, so be it.

Father's face lit up and he turned to Mother. "Our stubborn daughter has finally listened to reason." A Moroi maid was standing in the doorway, and he gestured to her. "Adrian is now home, recovered from his injuries. Send him a message, and tell him that the wedding will be in two days. We will skip the usual courtship this time." The maid curtsied and left. Father turned back to me, a smile on his face. "We've planned your wedding for quite a while, so it will be grand."

"Whatever you think is best," I answered, but I was dismayed. I wouldn't even have planned my own wedding, if I had intended on marrying Adrian.

Most young brides didn't organize the wedding. It was their fathers and future fathers-in-law who sent out invitations, and the mothers and mothers-in-law who arranged the wedding. However, the brides usually had some involvement in the planning. But I had no involvement whatsoever.

"If you'll excuse me, I'll find something suitable to wear," I murmured, curtsying.

"Mother ordered the most beautiful bridal gown for you," Father assured me. He turned to her, and I was sad by the happy expression on his face. He was so eager to see his only child married off to secure the Mazur-Ivashkov alliance. I wondered what the terms of the alliance entailed. "When will it be ready?"

"Because you decided to have her married off so quickly, I had to order a gown that was already made, and have embellishments added to it," Mother said crossly. "By tomorrow."

"Excellent," Father said. He turned to me, looking proud. I felt sick. "You will be wed to Lord Ivashkov at last. You couldn't find a better man anywhere. I am sure that he will fix his bad ways once he is married."

_I doubt he would, unless he's married to that girl… Sydney_, I thought. Was it really just two days ago that I'd seen Adrian confess his love for the mysterious lily girl? It felt like a lifetime ago. I smiled at Father, keeping my true emotions off my face. "I hope so. Please excuse me." I curtsied again and left the parlor.

* * *

I spent the rest of the day and Wednesday with Lissa. She seemed even more nervous than me about the plan.

On the night I was to take the poison, I stayed up long past midnight with Lissa. "I'm still scared," she whispered.

"Nothing bad can happen," I assured her. Privately, I was scared. I had done plenty of scary things in my time – including fighting off a band of ten Strigoi with two guardians at my side. That was pretty life-threatening. But this… it was even worse. I was deliberately taking a poison that was very strong. If I didn't wake up…

"Everything will be okay," I tried to assure her. "Just don't let my parents know what's going on."

"Of course not," Lissa managed, with a very wan smile. We hugged, and I could feel how terrified she was for me.

"See in you a few days," I whispered. I waved my farewells to her, and went to my room.

I shut the door behind me, and dressed in a simple red silk gown. I pulled the vial out from under the bed before I lay down on the bed, staring at the little vial.

_Oh, God_, I thought. _Here is the vial. What if it doesn't work?_ That thought was terrifying in its own right. "And what if this poison really kills me?" I murmured, staring at the vial. "It's supposed to be a drug, but it's also a poison. Lissa called it the 'Sleeping Death.' What if I wake in the tomb before Dimitri comes for me. Will I die of suffocation there? I'll be left alone, with only my fears for company. And what if there are ghosts?"

I knew there were ghosts. Because of my shadow-kissed bond with Lissa - and two Strigoi kills - I had been able to periodically see ghosts. I was terrified I would see them if I woke before Dimitri came for me. Or…what if Dimitri couldn't get the Friar's letter, and jumped into drastic action? I shuddered away from that thought.

"And yet… I have no choice. If I wake tomorrow, I will be married to Adrian. Neither of us wants to be married. I won't be married for sure tomorrow. There's no other way for me to see Dimitri again otherwise. The feud will never be solved," I whispered to myself.

There was no way out. But I loved Dimitri. I would do _anything_ to be with him again. Our love was worth fighting for, despite the odds against us. My parents. The queen's hunt for him. My impending marriage. The future Mazur-Ivashkov alliance Father had been planning most of my life. Despite my love for Dimitri, this was the most daunting choice I'd ever had to make. If I didn't take the drug, I would be married to a man I couldn't stand more than a friend. _You will see Dimitri again soon_. I saw his face in my mind again, and uncorked the vial.

"Dimitri, Dimitri. Here's a drink. I drink to you."

I drank the drug and collapsed onto my bed. The vial slipped from my hand and the last thing I registered was the sound of glass shattering before sweet dark waters pulled me under.


	11. The End

**Disclaimer**: I don't own Vampire Academy.

* * *

Ch. 11 The End

Lissa POV

I awoke the next day to hear screams from Rose's bedroom, which was next to mine. I knew that someone must've found Rose, and my heart sank, even though I knew she wasn't dead. I was probably the only one at this point, besides Friar James and Dimitri...

Oh, poor Rose. She was willing to sacrifice so much so she could be with Dimitri again. I was glad that my love for Christian wasn't as complicated, even if we had to face the disdain of the other royal families…

I jumped out of my bed and hurried to the next room. I had to pretend I didn't know what had happened to Rose.

Taking a deep breath, I opened the door.

Lord Ibrahim Mazur and Lady Janine Mazur were weeping openly at Rose's bed, with several servants in the room also crying. She lay so still on her bed that she truly looked dead. My breath whooshed out of me, and I was reminded of that horrible carriage accident…

I pushed those awful memories out of my mind. I had to focus on the now. "What happened?" I asked, tears sliding down my cheeks. It wasn't too hard to sound upset and distraught, and it was easy to cry.

Lazy Mazur looked up, her dark eyes red-rimmed from crying. "Our poor daughter. Rose is dead."

I forced myself to look closer at Rose. She was dressed in a red gown, with her long dark hair in stark contrast to the bed sheets. Her normally tanned skin had gone quite pale and there was no rise and fall of her chest to indicate breathing, but I could see that she wasn't dead. Her lips were still red, and there was faint color in her cheeks. Everyone else would be too distraught to notice these little details.

"Why did she die?" Lord Mazur asked, tears in his eyes. He had become very cold and selfish in the last days before Rose's "death" … but I knew he truly mourned her now. I focused on him until I could see his aura. It was tinged with gray – a sign of sorrow and depression. "She was young and full of life. She had her whole life in front of her. And today was her wedding day. She is now married to Death. Oh, God." He wept openly.

I forced tears to fall down my cheeks. "Perhaps…she felt she had no way out," I said, infusing my words with a little bit of compulsion. It was necessary, to soothe them a little.

I was good at compulsion, but I doubted I could use enough to get the Mazurs to overcome their hatred of the Belikovs. The Mazurs weren't the only royal families to hate – or, in most cases, dislike – the Belikovs. The Belikovs were a more "recent" royal family.

"No way out?" Lady Mazur echoed, trying in vain to wipe away her tears. She pulled out her handkerchief and sniffled into it.

"You were forcing her to marry a man she didn't want to," I pointed out as respectfully as possible. "Rose and Adrian aren't compatible with each other. I believe that Rose felt like she had no choice, besides death. It was either marry a man she couldn't love, or to be disowned."

"I am partly at fault for Rose's death?" Lord Mazur whispered, going pale. He turned to Rose – I wouldn't think of that as her body, as she was still alive – and whispered, "I am so sorry, Rose. I should've listened more to you." I hoped once they would listen to her when she woke up.

Lady Mazur kept weeping. "I told you not to force our Rose into an arranged marriage, but you wouldn't listen to me," she wailed. My body went still at that. _Had she hoped to save Rose from being married to Adrian? _I made a mental note to tell Rose that later on.

"We will prepare for a funeral now, instead of a wedding," Lord Mazur said, standing. "Send word to Lord Adrian, and spread the news."

Within the hour, mourners had arrived to wail and cry over Rose. The wailing and crying made me depressed, so I stepped out of the room for a few minutes. I went downstairs, and waited in the foyer.

Adrian burst into the grand foyer, and I started at his appearance. "What…what are you doing here?" I asked. The words came out of my mouth without any thought.

"Mourning my fiancée," he said quietly. His green eyes were bloodshot, and his brown hair was even more mussed than usual. He was dressed completely in black. Although they hadn't loved each other, I could only imagine how he felt over the death of his fiancée. He sounded upset, although I imagined he would've been more upset if they had actually been in love with each other. "How did she die?"

I flinched. "No one said a word, because we've been mourning, but I believe it was poison." _I just hope no one figures out why Rose "died." _

"I can't believe she really killed herself," Adrian muttered, more to himself than me. He then focused on me. "Spirit. Can you use it on her and bring her back…?"

I stared. In all the chaos resulting after Rose was found, no one had suggested that I use my powers to bring her back from the dead. Then, I remembered most people didn't know Rose had been brought back from the dead, or my powers. Even her own parents didn't know that she had died and then been brought back.

I shook my head. "I can't do it… I don't know when she chose to poison herself. When she came back the first time…I think it was a few minutes after she…" I couldn't bring myself to say the word. "I don't know how long she's been dead. For all I –"

"Stop lying."

Shock coursed through me at his harsh tone. "Excuse me?" I demanded, putting my hands on my hips. "I'm mourning my best friend." I forced sorrow and anger into my voice, which wasn't hard. My best friend was in a coma, and what if the drug did its work too well...?

He took a step towards me. "You're lying. I don't know what you're lying about, but I know you are."

I wanted to curse myself. Those damned auras. He must have seen my lie reflected in my aura. "Rose is upstairs, if you would like to see her before she's…taken away." I didn't dare say that she was dead, because he would see that it was a lie.

Adrian stonily stared at me for a moment, before rushing upstairs.

I sighed and ran a hand through my hair. I would have to keep this secret for two more days. Soon, Rose would wake and this whole mess would be over. In the meantime, I had to mourn with the others and help arrange the funeral.

* * *

Dimitri POV

St. Petersburg, Russia

I woke Thursday morning and stretched with a sigh. Had it really been just two nights ago that I had seen my Roza and made love to her? It felt like two years had gone by.

Last night, I had dreamed that I lay in a death-like sleep. Rose had come to me, and awoken me with a kiss. I felt hopeful that the dream was a glimpse of the future – that I would be with her soon. I didn't completely believe in being able to foresee the future, even though my grandmother could see the future, but this seemed like a sign. _Even better than a dream would be able to see my Roza in real life_, I thought.

St. Petersburg was far from Moscow, but close enough that I would still be close to Roza. Besides, my hometown of Baia, where I'd spent most of my life until I turned thirteen, was an obvious choice for me to flee. The queen would've sent guardians to find me there. There were less Moroi and dhampirs here, which would make me less conspicuous.

I got dressed and headed downstairs to stroll around St. Petersburg.

It was a nice city, but nothing could compare with Moscow. That was where everyone I cared about and loved was. There was a majesty and sophistication to Moscow that I hadn't seen in any of the other cities. I supposed I would have to wait at least another week before I could return home. I wondered idly how the rest of the royals would take the news that I had married Rose.

_Probably not well_, I thought. _Especially her father_. The thought of informing Lord Abe Mazur of my marriage with Rose was not appealing. Even if we weren't from rival families, I suspected he wouldn't be nice to anyone courting – let alone married – to his daughter. I shuddered. I didn't look forward to the talk I would have with him, because I suspected it would involve him breaking my kneecaps. Still, if we were allowed to be together in the end, I would endure it.

I walked around for half an hour longer before I returned to the inn. A moment after I had set foot in the lobby, a young dhampir man – a messenger, from the uniform he wore – burst in, gasping for breath.

He headed straight for the innkeeper, who I knew was a Moroi. _What is going on?_ I wondered. I got up and pretended to stroll past the two.

"I just got the news from another man," the messenger was saying to the innkeeper.

The innkeeper looked surprised. "You looked ready to start screaming. What is so important? Unless a scandal erupted-"

"It's not that. I've been hearing everywhere that Princess Mazur is dead."

My blood went cold as ice. It couldn't be. Was there something wrong with my hearing? I turned around and went up to the messenger, grabbing him by the shirt front. "What? The princess is dead?" I prayed to God that I had heard wrong, but my heart was sinking before the man spoke.

"Princess Mazur is dead," the messenger repeated, sounding slightly terrified. I supposed I was scaring him with my intense reaction, but I couldn't help it. "Her soul is with the angels in heaven."

"When?" I demanded.

"Earlier today," the messenger stammered. "There's no word on when the funeral is to be held."

I let go of him, and he looked extremely relieved. I ran upstairs to my room and locked the door behind me. Sorrow and heartbreak swirled through me, making it hard to think.

No, no, no. Roza was dead? How could she be dead? She was just eighteen years old. There was no way that she could've died from natural causes.

There was no reason to keep living. I had borne exile from Moscow for her, so that we would be reunited in a few weeks. Exile would've been unbearable without the knowledge that Roza was waiting for me at home.

But now…she was gone. Life had no more meaning without her. How could I go on knowing that Rose was no longer part of this world? If I couldn't be with my Roza in life, I would be reunited with her in the afterlife. I didn't care if she was in heaven or hell, as long as we were together. Even if we wandered as ghosts for the rest of eternity, I wouldn't care – just as long as we could be together forever.

"Before I leave St. Petersburg, I will buy poison and see where Roza lies," I murmured to myself. "Roza, Roza, I am coming to you!"

* * *

After two days of non-stop riding to Moscow, I finally arrived home. It was now early Saturday morning, and sunrise was still several hours away.

I had been away from Moscow for only four days, but it seemed so different now. The air seemed like it was filled with despair, and night seemed more welcoming than day.

As I ridden back to Moscow, I had been unable to think of anything but Roza. How lonely it must've been for her, to die alone! I didn't understand why she would've died. I'd heard that she was a fierce warrior, and I had seen her fighting spirit and fire in her eyes.

I suspected she had committed suicide. If she had died by a Strigoi's hand, word would have spread. But where I had occasionally stopped for rests, no one knew how she had died. Rumors were swirling about everywhere. I wondered if it had been my fault she had killed herself, and my heart twisted. Maybe if she hadn't wanted me to come back to her so badly, she would still be alive and not have committed suicide.

But there was nothing to be done for it now. Once I found where she had been laid to rest, I would gaze upon her one more time, and die at her side by poison.

My steps slowed a little as I considered what my family would do when they found out I was dead. Mama would grieve terribly and weep for me. I was her only son, and she treasured all of her children. Sonya and Viktoria would be… oh, God. They would be inconsolable. I was their older brother, and they looked up to me. And Karolina, my older sister…

I couldn't help but wonder if Uncle Ivan would use my suicide as the chance to claim the title of the Belikov prince. Naming one as "princess" or "prince" was very difficult, and it was determined – through very complicated family trees – who had the most blood of the royal family. A direct descendent was often the one named.

However, if there were no male descendents, the title could roll over to a female. There were fewer princesses than princes, since most families waited until they had a son to name them prince of their family.

I shook off these thoughts of royal families and titles._ If one of my sisters can take my place, that will be goo_d, I thought. _But thinking of these things will not help me now. I am going to spend the afterlife with my Roza_.

It was after around twenty minutes of blindly walking through the streets until I found the cemetery devoted to royal Moroi and dhampirs. The moonlight shone on me as I walked through the cemetery. I looked in the Mazur mausoleum, but couldn't find Rose. _Was she already buried?_ I thought in alarm, but shook it off. Tradition stated that a princess or prince would lie in state for a week before the funeral. After the funeral, then they would be laid to rest.

I saw an open-air building on a small incline several feet away from the rest of the cemetery, with something lying in glass. It looked like a temple constructed in the neo-Classical style. I ran up the small hill.

My breath caught in my throat. It was Rose, lying in a glass casket. She was dressed in a red silk gown. Her long dark hair, crowned by a gold circlet, stood in deep contrast to the white of the casket she lay in, and she held a bouquet of roses in her hands. "Rose," I whispered, lifting the glass cover off and leaving it on the ground of the temple so I could see her better.

Even with the news that she was dead, it had felt strangely surreal. Now, Rose was before me, and it was clear she was dead. Grief pierced through my heart, and a tear slipped down my cheek as I looked at her. I would never again be able to be together with her in this life, but I had a chance with her in the afterlife. Seeing her still body drove home the reality of her death.

"How often are men happy before they are to die?" I murmured, gazing upon her. I couldn't be too unhappy that I was about to die. If I could be with her, that would be a happy ending. "Death, that hath sucked the honey of your breath, hath had no power upon your beauty." Even in death, Roza still looked as beautiful as ever. Her lips and cheeks still had a hint of pink in them. "I will come to you soon. I will be with you forever, and I will never leave your side. Why are you still so beautiful, even in death, Roza? Eyes, look your last. Arms, take your last embrace. And lips, seal with a righteous kiss."

I pressed my lips against hers for a brief moment and pulled back to remove the bottle of poison. I whispered, "Here's to my love."

I uncorked it, but before I could raise it to my lips, heard a sound from beside me. I froze_. It can't be_, I thought.

I looked at Rose, and my heart went absolutely still. Her eyes were beginning to open.

* * *

Rose POV

My eyes fluttered open, and I let out a soft yawn. "Napping for two days straight is strange," I murmured, sitting up and stretching.

I was still a little drowsy, but as I took in where I was, my senses kicked back in. I was lying in a casket in an open-air temple. And… Dimitri was here! He was standing by my side.

"Dimitri, Dimitri!" I whispered, holding my arms out to him.

He was staring at me in stunned silence before he came to me and buried his face in my shoulder. "Roza? Have I died and gone to heaven already?"

I cocked my head, not understanding. Then I took in that he was holding a small clear bottle of a blue liquid. Unease stirred in me. "What is that?" I asked nervously.

"Poison," Dimitri whispered as he pulled slightly away from me to look into my eyes. He was still holding me close.

My eyes widened with horror. "No! Why?"

"I thought you were dead, Roza," Dimitri answered, his voice shaking. "I don't know if I'm dead, or dreaming now. Why wouldn't you have told me…"

"But the friar said…" I trailed off, and stared at Dimitri. "You don't know, do you?"

"Know what?" he asked blankly.

I threw my hands into the air as understanding hit me. "Oh, God! We have nearly averted two deaths – our own. After you left me following our honeymoon night, my parents were intent on forcing me to marry Adrian at all costs." Dimitri's eyes turned dark at the mention of Adrian, so I continued. "They wouldn't listen to reason, so I went to Friar James. He told me to take the 'Sleeping Death' on the morning I was to marry Adrian, so I would appear dead for two nights, and he promised to write to you. You were to come here tonight and take me away."

"Why wasn't I informed of this?" Dimitri demanded flatly. "I almost killed myself!"

I gasped, and snatched the bottle of his hand before throwing it away into the darkness. "His letter never reached you?"

Dimitri shook his head, and narrowed his eyes. "But there was news of an illness in a neighboring town…"

_That explains much_, I thought. Disaster had barely been averted tonight. I reached up, brushing my hand over his cheek. "But we are together now."

"We are," he agreed, lifting me out of the casket and setting me gently on my feet. "I didn't want to go on living without you. How could I keep on living knowing you were gone? So I planned to come here, look at you once last time, and die by your side."

"If I hadn't woken up now, we would both be dead," I murmured, putting my arms around his waist. "I wouldn't want to live without you. I love you, Dimitri."

"I love you too, Roza," he whispered, bending down to kiss me passionately.

I didn't know what tomorrow, or the day after that, would bring, but with Dimitri by my side, we would face the challenges together.

* * *

**Author's note**: Thank you to everyone who read and reviewed this story! I hope you enjoyed this little twist on _Romeo and Juliet_ :) It's better than what ended up happening in the original, right? I was surprised that this story got so many reviews and followings. I hope you enjoyed this fanfic, and I'll definitely continue to write in the future!

~ eveningstar 1996 ~


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